Treason
by NeonZangetsu
Summary: They've taken everything from me. Everything! I've lost everything, and now so will they! If its a war they want, then its a war they'll get! Dark Ichigo. Pairing undecided, but my last new story for awhile.
1. Dismay

_It is against the law for a Shinigami to give their spiritual power to Humans._

_To do so is treason._

_It is against the law for a Shinigami to use forbidden Kidō._

_To do so is treason._

_It is against the law for any citizen of Soul Society to create weapons of a dangerous nature not sanctioned by the feudal government._

_To do so is treason._

_It is against the law to attack a captain._

_To do so is treason._

_It is against the law to commit terrorist action or attempt overthrow of the balance of Soul Society._

_To do so is treason._

_It is against the law to commit murder._

_To do so is treason._

_It is forbidden for a Shinigami to acquire Hollow powers._

_To do so is treason._

_It is by ancient law that two Shinigami cannot hold the same zanpakutō. They must fight for the honor of bearing the spirit, with the spirit going to the winner._

_Treason._

_--_

This had to be the the _worst_ trial ever.

After Aizen had been beaten back to Hueco Muendo, everyone thought it was over. The visoreds would be welcomed back to Soul Society, there would be peace, everyone would be happy.

How wrong they were.

In less than a second, Soul Society, their so called 'allies' had turned on them. It had been so quick, so sudden, that none of them saw it coming, and by the time they had...

It was already too late.

"Urgh, let go!" He hissed, before as he was thrown down the stairs, landing painfully on his face.

He rubbed his wrists as the reiatsu absorbing cuffs were removed. The shackles fell to the floor, and he stood before the Central 46 court. Now read to him was his 'crime' again, and he listened to the reports of several key witnesses to his many crimes and felonies against the soul society.

"Do you acknowledge these laws, prisoner?" Boomed the judge.

The man held his head high, revealing the scratches and cuts there. He had been brutally beaten and tortured, in an attempt to get him to 'confess' to his so called crimes. He scowled, darkly.

"Hell no!" He shouted! "I'd break every single one of them if it meant winning the war!"

His words threw the central 46 into chaos.

"What?!"

"Infidel!"

"How dare you speak such a thing!"

"Ryoka brat!"

And there was much of this noise, constant shouting, hollering and screaming before they _finally_ calmed down. He could feel their eyes boring into him, a collective glare, that would've broken a lesser man.

Granted, he'd just turned sixteen last week, but still.

"How do you plead to your charges?" The judge finally asked.

"Not guilty!"

"Kurosaki Ichigo, we _demand_ an explanation!" The chorus grated on his ears, but he somehow managed to wait for them to finish their protests to his claims. Only once the ruckus had died down, did he speak.

"I didn't know." He stated solemnly, but there was a small smirk, as he was addressing the entire assembly as a whole. "But I don't understand, why are you putting me and my friends on trial?"

"How ironic that you should mention your _comrades_." Boomed the judge ominously. A feeling of dread coiled in the pit of Ichigo's stomach, and brown eyes tripled as the voice echoed down from the podium. "Because they too are to be put on trial for crimes _against _the Sereitei."

"Teme!" He hissed, losing his composure. "They haven't done anything!

"Quite the contrary. They are guilty because it was _you _who not only trained with them, but tainted them with your hollow powers. We cannot allow such an uncontrollable factor to exist within the Gotei 13."

"Had you left them be, we may have missed them." One man went on as the twelfth division captain listened helplessly. "In that, I suppose we _do_ owe you thanks."

"For this, your punishment will be lenient." Spoke the judge. "You will be stripped of your powers, and be allowed to live a normal life as a human being. However-

He now began to read from a list: "Yastura Sado, Ishida Uryuu, Inoue Orihime, Isshin Kurosaki, Karin Kurosaki, and Yuzu Kurosaki, along with all other members of the renegade group known as the visored, must be eliminated, post-haste."

It took a moment for the strawberry to realize what this meant.

They were all going to be executed.

"What the hell?!" He swept a hand out in an all encompassing gesture. His tone was strained now, and a more than trace of emotional desperation crept through his shout. "We helped you guys! Why can't you just trust us?!"

"But your assurances are not enough!" Stated one.

"Words _alone_ are not enough!" Cried another.

"Just listen! We're on your side! How can I prove that to you?!"

Another moment of silence.

"There is nothing you can do." Boomed the congregation as a whole. "You have already done all you can for them. Accept our decision and move on."

It was all he could do to keep himself under control.

"So that's it, huh? You're going to kill them. My family, my friends, just because they're _different_?"

"Indeed, it sorrows us to do this, but we will bear the burden of this sin, and make sure it does not happen again." Said one, then another, until they were all saying it together as one.

He grit his teeth together, ground his hands into fists-

"Kurosaki Ichigo is a valuable asset to the Gotei 13." Stated a voice, as a man began to walk down the steps. "Surely we can work out a solution?"

The strawberry whipped around, turning to see an aged man leaning forward slightly on a cane as he trudged towards him. Blue eyes tripled as he recognized the face. Especially with the beard and though he looked a great deal older than before the war had started, he was easy to recognize.

_"Old man?!"_

Yamamoto smiled lightly.

"Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai, what are you doing here?" Asked the judge. "It is forbidden for any other shinigami, regardless of rank, to interfere with our trials.

"I am merely here to speak my mind. Won't you allow an old man that much?"

Silence.

"Very well. Know that your words will not influence our decision, but you may speak."

"He has served the Sereitei well for these past few months, has he not?"

"Well....yes." Agreed several others.

"And has he ever _once_, betrayed us?"

Silence.

"Then I see no reason to detain him or his friends."

For a moment, Ichigo thought that was it.

It was not to be.

"He has!" Boomed a voice from across the room. "He interfered in the execution of Kuchiki Rukia and destroyed the Sokyouko! He injured three vice-captains! He _murdered _captain Amagai, and once took up the zanpaktou of an espada as his own! That is _high treason_!"

Ichigo winced at that one.

"Hey! I did that because-

Yamamoto still held authority in his voice, even as he spoke, cutting Ichigo off. "And yet you youngsters forget, the execution itself was all an elaborate plan by Sosuke Aizen to retrieve the Hogyoku from within Rukia's soul, was it not? We were all deceived by Aizen. Furthermore, Kurosaki Ichigo took up the blade of an enemy, because that _enemy _was honorable, and honor is a grand quality, regardless of who it is to posses it. I believe we can make an exception in Kurosaki's case, as I believe that the boy has done what he _believes_ to be right."

His words struck home, and silence reigned over the room again.

Ichigo was struck speechless.

"Hey, thanks, gramps."

The head captain spared him a small smile.

"Think nothing of it, boy."

"That in of itself does not matter!" Cried a voice suddenly! "We are here to discuss the issue of his illegal acquisition of hollow powers, the murder of a captain, and the creation of a secret army to overthrow us!"

Everyone gasped.

"Are you crazy?!" The strawberry hissed. "I have no intention of making an army!

"And yet you once betrayed your comrades, did you not?" Questioned the voice again, becoming more aggressive in his accusations. "You left your allies to die once, so what can lead us to believe you will not do the same to us now?!"

"I did not leave my friends to die!" Now he was furious. "I left to get help!"

"No, you ran away in fear!" Cried a voice.

"You deserted your comrades, and you'll do the same to us!" Cried another.

"Listen to yourselves!" Objected Yamamoto. "Is it really so important that these children be executed? If we welcome them with open arms, then we have nothing to-

"It is not a matter of whether the young ones should be killed." Boomed the judge, and everyone went silent. "It is a matter of removing the weeds that might grow to choke the garden of safety that is the Soul Society. Weeds will always grow, and it is our duty to pluck them out, before they tip the balance."

The gavel slammed down on the podium.

"It is decided. The execution will be held at dawn!"

"No!" Ichigo all but roared. "I won't let you do it!"

"You do not have a choice." Replied the judge. "Accept our authority and look beyond yourself. We are doing this not only for the good of the Soul Society, but for your world, the material world as well. To preserve the balance, that is the only thing that matters-

"Shut up!" The fierce hiss cut him off. "Underneath all your righteous bullshit, you're really just sacrificing the individual for the whole! Killing innocents for the greater good! That's not how it should be done! Who'll it be next time, huh?! A harmless human, another shinigami? A captain?! What will it take to satisfy you?!"

"Do not question our judgement!" Boomed the judge. "Our decision is absolute!"

"Absolute this!" He hissed, flipping him off.

"Resist and you will be executed along with them!" Cried the judge.

"Fine." His statement seemed to shock everyone, and they now looked to be suddenly uneasy.

"FINE!" He cried again, but louder this time. "I've had it!"

_"Old man, you'd better run." _Warned Ichigo, a second before it happened.

But Shigekuni Yamamoto-Genryūsai was nobody's fool, despite his old age. He knew Ichigo was beyond convincing, and had already shunpoed himself to safety, this being the momentary cause for alarm as of earlier.

A hand reached to his face.

"Watch closely."

Dark energy began to fluctuate in his hand as he pulled. It began to take shape, and everyone was muted by the horror as the mask was revealed.

**"I will burn this night into your minds." **Rumbled the vizard ominously. **"I will make all of Soul Society will remember this night, and what happened here!"**

He held up both hands, and almost immediately, a dark sphere formed.

**"Thankfully, I can still use this ability, even without Zangetsu nearby."**

"He's attacking!"

"Stop him!"

It began to grow, until he held a sphere roughly as large as a soccer ball, then twice the size of such. He began to mumble under his breath, rapidly performing a spirit chant.

"Someone do something!"

Too late.

"Kido is forbidden in Central 46!" Cried the judge frantically, as everyone began to run.

This wasn't kido.

He whispered the words:

**"Getsuga Tenshou."**

--

Alarms rang loud into the the Sereitei, and Central 46 itself was aflame. Hundreds of shinigami ran this way and that, searching for the intruder, an enemy who had no intention of making himself known to them.

He darted through the streets, running harder, faster than he ever had before.

The fires reflected in Ichigo's dark brown eyes. burning this night into his memory, forevermore.

His hand strayed to the three blades, one in hand of course, Zangetsu.

The other two dangled from his sash, as he had them buckled to his side.

He was desperately searching for where his friends were being held, and thanks to the deathstone in the buildings here, coupled with his lame ability at even detecting reaitsu, he could barely even sense them at all.

The vizard rounded a corner, and ran smack dab into Hitsugaya.

"Kurosaki!" The tenth squad captain made ready to draw his sword.

Ichigo growled like an animal, and whipped Zangetsu by its chain, carving Toshirou across the chest.

"Outta my way!" He roared, grabbing the shorter man by the collar, then throwing him through a wall. He didn't wait to see whether that actually stopped him, he kept running the moment he'd heaved Hitsugaya.

Unfortunately, a captain didn't go down that easily.

"Bankai."

Ichigo skidded to a halt as the area before him froze over in ice, blocking his escape.

He whirled about to see Hitsugaya in full bankai.

Brown eyes hardened, became crystalline.

"You...shouldn't have done that."

They had clashed for about a minute, when he felt Chad's energy vanish.

No...Vanish wasn't the right word.

It was just gone.

Fearing the worst, Ichigo fought harder, slashing with intense fury, ignoring the ice that froze his right arm. His left arm lashed out to shatter the ice, and he kept coming.

Uryuu was next.

He dug a shallow hole into Hitsugaya's hip, but the captain used the chance to entrap him in his infamous ice prison. Pulling on his mask, it now took but a second for the captain class shinigami to break free of his capture, but by then-

Orihime.

She was gone now too.

He blinked, then felt like a piece of his heart had been ripped out.

"No...No...No...

With all the speed of a demon, he whirled on Hitsugaya!

"NO!"

He fought like a madman now, hacking and slashing at the captain with reckless abandon. No longer was he holding back for the sake of his humanity, or for the sake of being kind. The enemy was in his way, and he was _determined_ to blow through him, not matter the cost or consequence.

"Your fault! It's all your fault!"

When he felt it disappearing, the reishi signature that was his father...

_He lost it._

Try as he might, Toshirou just couldn't keep up with this kind of speed.

Kurosaki was everywhere at once!

Abruptly, he reached to the sword dangling left at his hip.

Toshirou had enough time to gasp, as the katana was drawn.

_'But that's-_

"Roar: Zabimaru!"

Too late, the blade had now coiled around him, and Ichigo's sword arm was raised high.

He ended it by blowing Hitsugaya's right arm off with a getsuga tenshou, then tearing past him. He paid no heed as Toshirou fell to the ground, nor how he struggled to rise after him, but fell over in his own blood.

Thankfully, he didn't encounter any more captain class enemies after that.

But...

By the time he'd reached the prison...

Karin and Yuzu were gone.

Like a zombie, he shambled over to their bodies, which were bloodied, battered and broken. They all looked so peaceful, as if they were merely sleeping.

Over Inoue, he lingered, as if searching for something, any signs of life. But there were none. Though her skin was still warm, and though she had yet to turn pale, the redhead, like all of his friends and family, had ultimately breathed her last.

Again, his hands strayed to the two zanpaktou, as if seeking comfort. Both were plain katana, there was no obvious distinction between it and another. However, one had a red sheathe, and the other's sheathe was a dark blue.

The first was Renji's Zabimaru.

The second was Rukia's Sode no Shirayuki.

They'd imparted their blades to him, just before they died on the front lines.

Died.

Everyone had died.

Blast this war!

Blast it all!

Tears, unfiltered sadness, began to pour down his face. A ragged, choked sob escaped his throat, and he covered his face with both hands, falling down to his knees, the tears leaking through his hands

They were gone.

Everyone.

Everyone was gone!

**What will you do now, Ichigo? **Asked Zangetsu.

_I am quite curioussss myssself. _Hissed Zabimaru.

A gentle hand on his shoulder now, even though it wasn't really there.

**_Take your time and think. _**That was Shirayuki.

"Revenge." He hissed through clenched teeth, opening his eyes, his mouth set in a grim line. "I...want revenge. I want to make them suffer for what they've done. All of them."

"Ichigo!" He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Ichigo! What happened?!"

"Yoruichi-san." He mumbled. "Take me to Hat n' clogs."

He knew what he must do.

--

(Urahara shoten)

"Kurosaki, how're you feeling-

Ichigo cut him off with a glare, and proceeded to explain everything.

"Open the garganta. I'm going to Las Noches."

--

(Hueco Muendo)

He looked up, and was not surprised in the least when he saw a familiar figure emerge from the garganta. The intruder was hale and healthy, whilst he was wounded and weak. The traitorous captain was covered in burns, and his sword arm was useless, chopped off at the elbow. His brown eyes were hazy almost, as he watched the strawberry approach him.

The damned vizard had finally come to kill him.

He'd known this day was coming, but oddly enough, he felt no fear, even as he saw Gin and Kaname, standing just outside the door. That and some strange human girl, with short black hair, and an angry look in her eyes. **(Its Tatsuki. More will be explained in a flashback)**

He'd been betrayed.

It felt rather...

Odd, that it would end like this for him. It would have been interesting to see how his successor fared. After all, this had been his grand goal, his ultimate scheme, and in the end, it would be brought about by his own death.

"Kurosaki. You've come to kill me, haven't you?"

"I have." Replied the man in the dark robe.

Brown eyes closed, peacefully.

"Then I impart all of Las Noches to you."

"Rest in Peace." Whispered Ichigo.

He raised the blade up, and brought it down with the slightest of hesitations, ending the life of Sosuke Aizen, who even in his last moments, died smiling. After a second of silence, Ichigo then took up Kyoka Suigetsu, and held it aloft. Deeming it useful for later, he took up the sheathe, and held onto it.

Its illusions may be useful in the future, though it would doubtlessly take time to master. Slowly, he whiped the blood off Zangetsu's ebony black edge. Then, the new ruler of Las Noches turned to Gin and Kaname, the latter handing Ichigo the Hogyoku.

He'd start it over from the beginning.

New ranks, arrancar, new and old, he'd start it from the very beginning.

There would be no mistakes.

His words were cold, emotionless, when he spoke to his two subordinates and one equal, via looking over his shoulder.

"This time...This time we will do it right."


	2. Gathering Prt 1

With a heavy heart, Yamamoto gave the order.

"It is decided then. All squad captains, you are to hunt down and capture Kurosaki Ichigo! Use lethal force if necessary, bring him back dead or alive, it does not matter!"

--

"So what now?" Tatsuki asked him, as they walked down the barren, empty halls, their footsteps echoed, bouncing off the walls, steady tapping of his black zori sandals, and the slow, easy padding of her bare feet against the cold tile. "When are we gonna get payback?"

Her eyes gleamed with untold anger as she said this. She hadn't known Chad and Uryuu that well, but the death of Ichigo's family, as well as the news of _Orihime's death_ had hurt her deeply, and that wound wasn't going to heal until she got some well justified revenge.

"For starters, I think _you_need a change of clothes." He commented this blandly enough, but Tatsuki Arisawa could've _sworn_ that she saw his lips twitch into an almost invisible smirk just then.

"Well _excuse me_ for not having the time to change!" She sputtered, a light pink flush tinting her otherwise tan cheeks. "After all, you didn't really give me much time....

_(Flashback)_

_Tatsuki Arisawa suddenly felt cold._

_Her eyes snapped open, and the first thing she felt was the water._

_She had been taking a hot shower, when the sudden chill came over her. It had been so unexpected, so sudden, that she actually stopped functioning for a second, unable to realize just what it was._

_The hot water jarred her out of the daze, and she realized she'd been standing in the hot shower for too long. Turning the knobs, she finally killed the water, pulled the curtain aside, and stepped out. As the heat from the shower misted at her bare feet, she peered into the mirror._

_Unable to see due to the steam, Tatsuki wiped at the mirror, until she could just see her face._

_"Why am I thinking about Orihime all of a sudden?" She murmured, pressing a hand to the fog covered glass, as if the reflection there would supply her with the answer with the answer she sought. "And why can't I sense her again? I felt her a second ago-_

_"Tatsuki." A voice whispered in her ear, and warm breath made her shiver-_

_"Ah!" She squeaked in surprise, hastily wrapping a towel around her otherwise naked body, a dark blur darting out of her sight. Slowly, she turned, searching for the voice that had just spoken her name, but there was no one in the bathroom. And when had she left the door open? _

_Before she exited the bathroom, Tatsuki slipped on a pink bathrobe, to prevent any peeking, regardless of whom it might be. Only then did she edge her way out of the bathroom, and even then it was_ very _slowly. "W-Who's there?!"_

_"Out here." Called the voice, coming from the direction of the balcony._

_Slowly, she edged her way out into the living room, and sure enough, there was a figure out on the patio. He had his back to her, but even in the dim light, it was impossible to miss that shock of strawberry blond hair._

_"I-Ichigo?! W-What're you doing here?! And where's Orihime?"_

_"Come out here, Tatsuki." He said simply._

_Suddenly relieved, yet apprehensive, Tatsuki felt ill at ease just standing inside by herself. In one smooth, yet frantic movement, she bolted across the living room, opened the sliding door, and stepped out onto the patio-_

_"BAKA!" _

_Ichigo made to move to react, as she delivered a hard right hook to his face. Surprisingly, her hand met something hard, and she jumped back a pace, holding the throbbing fingers in pain._

_"Ow! Ow ow ow!" She whined, waving the hand up and down rapidly, in an attempt to soothe the raw nerves. A scowl marred her face, and she shot dagger at him as evident by her glare. "Jeez Ichigo! What the heck was that?!" _

_Ichigo finally turned to face her._

_Tatsuki was met with a terrifying sight._

_His sclera were black instead of white, his irises had turned an eerie yellow..._

_And he wore a mask. _

_It was as if death were staring her in the face, and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. The air came in short ragged gasps, then she lost the ability to draw in oxygen altogether, or that was how it felt. He was suffocating her, just by looking at her with those eyes..._

_"Tatsuki, it's me." He repeated, waving a hand over his face, and dispelling the hollow side of himself. The mask he wore melted away into dark energy, exposing herself Almost immediately, the pressure weighing down her mind faded, and his visage was exposed._

_"Oh...She sighed, and it took everything she had not to slump down against the door and collapse. With a visible effort, she controlled herself, looked him square in the eye, and spoke._

_"Did you rescue Orihime?"_

_He nodded, but it was stiff._

_"Great! Then where is she-_

_"She's dead." The words came out as a dry rasp, as if he needed a drink of water. He couldn't bear to meet her gaze when he gave the news, so he turnd away when it was said. It took a moment to register, what he had just said, but once she'd processed it, the smile that had been creeping up upon her face...died like a rose in a winter storm._

_"Y-You're kidding right?" She elbowed him playfully, hoping, BEGGING that this was some sick and twisted joke. There was no possible way Orihime was dead! She'd seen her just the other day! "It IS just a joke, right?"_

_His eyes conveyed untold sadness, and that was what told her it was the truth. His hands clenched, and unclenched into fists, and he bit his lip until a thin line of blood ran out. "No, it's not a joke."_

_She tried to say something, but he cut her off._

_"They're dead, they're all dead."_

_Momentary concern for him, washed away the misery that now stabbed into her chest. Taking a deep breath to steady herself, Tatsuki dared to place a hand on his arm, not knowing if he would go ballistic._

_"Who, Ichigo?"_

_He shook his head._

_"Ichigo!" She said it harsher than she meant to, and therefore was stunned speechless yet again by his next reaction. The normally hardheaded highschooler whirled on her, tears in his eyes_

_"Everyone!" He sobbed! "Chad, Uryuu, Inoue, my family...they're all dead!"_

_"H-Hey! Don't go and cry on me!" Protested Tatsuki, suddenly finding that she had to take on the supportive role for a moment. But then she was crying too, more so for him and Orihime than herself. _

_"J-Just t-tell me what happened, o-okay?" She hiccuped, finding herself unable to stop the tears, no matter how hard she tried. Almost immediately, he launched into a long and complex story, that took up the better part of a half an hour._

_As he finished up his tale, Tatsuki could not believe her ears._

_"You were..._

_"Betrayed." He sighed bitterly._

_Poor Ichigo. He'd already lost his mother when he was nine, wasn't that enough? Just when he'd started to smile again, just when he'd started to overcome her death..._

_Orihime had been kidnapped._

_He'd saved her, sure enough, he was vehement about that much. But to be betrayed by your own allies, just because they didn't want you to turn on THEM? Now that was cold. And now the rest of his friends and family?_

_Gone._

_"Ichigo...I'm sorry."_

_"Don't be." He whispered, unable to think straight at having to retell his story again. Right now, his mind was a jumbled fragment of images, sights and sounds, of which the slightest breeze, the slightest action could shatter._

_At this very moment, he was on the verge of insanity._

_The tears had already begun to well up in her eyes long ago, and now, they too were spilling out. She wanted to do more for him, she really did, but what could she, a simple human, possibly do?_

_"I really am." She mumbled, wrapping her arms around him suddenly. "I'm sorry this sere-whatever did this to you." Tatsuki didn't know why she just did that, hugged him, nor could she explain the sudden, undesirable urge to never let go. He went stiff, and she panicked, thought about pulling away, but for some reason, as his arms came around to hold her by the small of her back, and as he rested his head atop hers..._

_It just felt_ right_._

_Granted, she'd never had any romantical intentions towards Ichigo before, and she didn't right now. However, she'd just seen his vulnerable side, his weaker half..._

_His emotions._

_The realization hit her like a bolt of lightning._

_'I'm... the only friend he has left.'_

_Her lower lip began to tremble at this, and the flood of tears came without warning. One minute she was fine, drying her tears and trying to process what in the world was going on-_

_Then the dam burst._

_Ichigo reeled back a step as she buried her head into his hakama. Less than a split-second later, tears began to stain through the fabric, and onto his bloodstained skin. He still held onto his childhood friend, even as she started to wail and sob._

_His own tears joined hers soon afterwards._

_For just a moment, they stayed like that. They held each other and cried, two friends who had lost absolutely everything in this world, and were left with nothing but each other..._

_Alas, this moment could not last._

_"Hado #4: Byakurai!"_

_A bolt of kido blasted in the door, and Ichigo shoved Tatsuki back a pace. As she stumbled back in confusion, he twisted himself to the side, taking it clean through the shoulder, and leaving a small hole._

_Blood spattered onto the floor, his cries of pain mixing with Tatsuki's horrified scream. His mind kicked into overdrive, screaming one fact over and over, searing it into his mind._

_They had come to kill her!_

_"Ichigo Kurosaki, you are under arrest." Declared Byakuya, stepping through the hole where the door had just been. Behind him were captains Kenpachi and Sajin._

_Three captains against one wounded vizard._

_Very bad odds for Ichigo._

_He inched back, and got between them and Tatsuki. _

_He needed to stall for time._

_"So, how's Toshirou doing?"_

_Byakuya drew his blade in response._

_"If you're trying to goad me into killing you, then it won't work" He held the blade up before his face, about to declare its shikai release. "But I'll have you know he's in critical condition after what you did to him."_

_"Hold on." He hissed, and before she could ask what he was about to do-_

_He grabbed her by the hips, and slung her over the shoulder. Almost immediately, the karate champion turned scarlet, __"H-Hey! What the hell do you think you're doing?!"_

_"Getting you out of here." He replied, and the air blurred before her vision-_

_"Scatter."_

_"Kuso!"_

_He must've used some sort of high speed movement to get away, as they were now in the air. He set her down in front of a building, and then, before she could protest, he shoved her inside, rather roughly, via kicking her in the butt._

_"Get in there!"_

_As the door slammed shut behind her, she watched him pull out another blade from the sheathe. It snapped shut seconds later, but now the sounds of steel beating against steel could be heard, followed by the sounds of grunts._

_He was fighting._

_"Ah, if it isn't Tatsuki-san!"_

_Only then did she realize that it was Urahara's shop._

_(End flashback)_

--

And that was the gist of it.

After Urahara helped him to drive away the three captains, Ichigo had insisted he open up this garganta or whatever. Urahara had agreed, but only on the condition that it was for noble purposes. After much bickering on their part, Ichigo wound finally wound up in the desert, and much to his dismay, she'd come after him.

She'd come here to this castle with him, too.

He'd fought the fox faced guy and the other one to a standstill, then convinced them to 'come over to the right side' as he had put it. That being done, he'd marched right into the room of that man, cut him down, and taken over what she now knew to be Las Noches.

Now he was the king, and those present her, were referring to them as Ichigo-sama, and Tatsuki-sama. The honorific had been impossible to ditch, he'd explained, as they saw the two of them as their _saviors_ now.

He'd outlined his plan to her, and she'd been all for it.

But Ichigo scratched the back of his head at her retort now.

"Erm...sorry."

"And you should be!" She shouted, stomping her foot down on his own, drawing a pained yelp from the vizard. As Ichigo hopped up and down, holding his leg in pain, she continued with: "Now you have to take me shopping to get some new clothes!"

He stopped hopping, and stared at her for a second.

"Fine."

"You heard me-wha?" Tatsuki did not expect him to give in so easily, and it showed in her expression. "Did you just agree to go shopping?! She asked incredulously. A long sleepy yawn soon followed his affirmation.

He snapped his fingers, took in a deep breath, and bellowed:

"Oi! Get some clothes for Tatsuki-sama!"

A lowly arrancar scurried over to him, and handed him an outfit. **(Neliel's arrancar outfit)**

"Here." He grumbled, tossing her it.

"Thanks." She held it up and looked for a room to change into.

"Yeah, sure, whatever. But I'm taking a nap right now." As he said this, he headed off towards the nearest room. Unable to tolerate being left alone, and honestly, rather afraid of it in a place like this, Tatsuki followed after him.

He gave her a glance, as he kicked off his sandals. After doing so, he set each zanpaktou in the corner, with Zangetsu leaning against Suigetsu, and Zabimaru against Shirayuki.

She sat down on the bed next to him, waiting for something to be said, if he had something to say. However, Ichigo just stared off into space, focused on the quartet of blades he had come to acquire through various means.

Unfortunately, Tatsuki took his looking away as an indication to get changed. Since there were no curtains, and this room was the only one around for miles, she made do with what she could.

The pink bath robe fell to the floor as she hurriedly undid the sash. Blushing madly, she slipped into the bodysuit, and was surprised to find that if fit her quite well-

Ichigo turned around just as she had gotten it up to her waist. Fortunately, her back was to him, so Tatsuki missed his almost open stare, one of pure curiosity. Her skin was smooth and flawless, not quite tan, not quite pale. The outfit she wore, lacked sleeves, or rather, they ended at her elbows, with the rest of the outfit smooth and form fitting.

"Ecchi!" She cried, as he jerked his gaze away at the last second.

"H-Hey! I wasn't looking!"

"Were too!"

"Was not!"

An uncomfortable silence reigned over the room, as they refused to look at each other.

"Um...

"Hmm?"

"Ichigo...Can I sleep with you?" The question came so suddenly it shocked them both.

At this, he gaped. "Huh?!"

"Not like that you pervert!" She snapped back, a vein throbbing in her forehead. "I just...She squirmed a bit, unable to find the right words to use in this situation."Gah, I just don't like this place!"

"Erm...

"Please?" She asked quietly, vulnerable and alone in that moment.

"Ugh. Fine." He sighed, pulling aside the covers.

"You can have the left, I'll take the right....

--

(Sometime later)

"Well, what now?" Asked Gin, as Ichigo reemerged from the darkness. He was still in his bankai outfit, but after a good night's rest, he was at least feeling better.

Tatsuki was still sleeping soundly in the bed.

And during his sleep, he'd had gotten a brilliant idea.

"Gin, Kaname." He spoke slowly, getting their attention. "Come with me."

'Fox-face' seemed to grin even wider.

"Oh? This sounds fun."

Ichigo smiled, and it was _not _pleasant.

"It will be."

--

(Fake Karakura town)

"Man, I can't believe we got stuck with cleanup duty...Grumbled one shinigami, a male who was plain in appearance, and thus unworthy of description.

"Just be glad Kurotsuchi-taichou isn't here." Replied another, as they patrolled the streets, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Namely, the few fraccion that had still been unaccounted for. "He'd do worse to us if he caught us slacking off...

The small group of five shuddered at the grisly thought. If Mayuri Kurotsuchi caught them lazing around, it'd be worse than any nightmare they could possibly dream of.

"L-Let's get going...

All the espada had been wiped out, but regardless, the fraccion were hiding somewhere around here... Those thus far missing were the three fraccion of the tercera espada, and the single fraccion of the primera espada.

A blur of motion caught their attention.

"There!"

The figure paused in midstep, panic flashing in her pink eyes. Her mask had been partially broken, revealing her other eye. Her clothing was ripped and tattered, for she was visibly battered and bruised, but that didn't slow her down in the slightest, as she abruptly then raced down an alleyway.

"She's got nowhere to run!" Declared one, drawing his zanpaktou as they rounded the corner after her, their footsteps beating loud in her ears like a concord of monotonous drums, along with the rapid breaths she drew in accompanied by the sounds of many swords being drawn. "After her! Don't let her get away!"

_'No..._

Her feet drummed against the ground.

_'No!'_

The pounding beat of her stride originated in her heels and ran up her legs, through her hips, and along her spine until it terminated at the base of her skull, where the recurring impact jarred her teeth and exacerbated the headache that seemed to worsen with every passing step.

_'I don't wanna die!'_

"That way's a dead end!"

She soon found out that they were right, as she ran smack dab into the concrete wall, the impact was sharp and jarring, throwing the fraccion back on her butt. She didn't have the strength to use cero or bala, she couldn't even use sonido, so weary she was.

The shinigami, now ten in number, came down the alleyway slowly, savoring the moment. Their blades gleamed in the dim light, as they edged towards the arrancar.

"Got her!" Cried one, seizing her by her light green hair! She could barely even breathe, let alone struggle by this point, and her efforts to break free were futile. "Now lets bag her before Mayuri skins our hides!"

It would be the last moment they ever experienced.

**_"Kurotsuchi is the least of your worries."_**Snarled a voice, from nowhere. Seconds later, the air was thick with a dark, sinister reaitsu, an energy which seemed to stem from hell itself. This level was beyond that of a captain, no, it was bey

"Huh?" The congregation gasped as one, as the man stepped out of the shadows. His orange hair was a dead giveaway, as was the blade he clutched tightly in hand.

"I-It's K-Kurosaki!" Sputtered one of them in, stepping back in trepidation.

The mask twisted into a sinister smile, a twisted, sarcastic voice creeping out from behind it.

**_"Oh? It's so good to be remembered!"_**

A black blade flashed into the air, and the fraccion cried out in surprise, released. The one who held her now stumbled back, _screaming. _With a small gasp, she soon realized why. He was now clutching the bloodied stump of his right hand. The severed appendage flopped to the floor, oozing dark crimson liquid.

Suddenly, her view was blocked by a dark cape. The man rose now, uncoiling from his almost predatory crouch. Cold yellow irises gleamed out of his mask, the black sclera deep and soulless, cruel and sadistic.

"Why you-

All the blades were now pointed at the vizard.

He stared at them for a second, but made no effort to move, as the prongs pierced his skin. They went in about a centimeter or two before they shattered into harmless steel shards.

He shook his head and sighed.

**_"That's the best you can do, huh?"_**

Now their was _fear_. It was written into their faces, their eyes, everything. Some of them were trembling, some of them were shaking like a lead. Still others dropped their now useless zanpaktou, and began to run, and soon the entire group had turned tail to flee.

**_"You think that'll save you?"_**

The air was now thick with dark reiatsu, and some of the former pursuers looked back in sheer terror, as a dark bolt, outlined in red, exploded from the heavens and into existence. It struck Ichigo, silhouetting him in its aura, while he laughed aloud, raising one finger to point at the fleeing entourage.

The lone digit sparked with red reiryoku, and the mask could not convey how much he was about to enjoy this. Time seemed to slow for the poor shinigami, as the last sight they ever beheld was that eerie red color of a cero.

**_"Farewell!"_**

A swathe of red light erupted from his finger, and consumed them, burning the soul reapers to ash. It continued onward, slamming into a nearby building, vaporizing it. The cero had left a massive path of destruction in its wake

Lillenette scampered back a step, and he turned to look at her.

"W-Who're you?"

He pulled aside his mask, exposing a human face.

_'An arrancar? No...he's at LEAST at espada level..._

"W-What number are you?"

"Number? I have no number." He replied to her, one hand patting her helmet.

"T-Then who or what are you?"

A smile traced at his face, when he saw the two garganta opening up in the fake town, and then a wave of hollows spilling out of it. That was the signal, the distraction they needed to escape.

Gin and Kaname seemed to have found a few fraccion as well.

"A friend." He told her, as she followed him into the void.

"A friend that wants to help."

--

(Later, Hueco Muendo)

"You....he wheezed, struggling to rise, but a hand forced him back down.

"Easy. Your wounds are still healing."

Blue eyes twitched in weak annoyance, his glare the only deadly thing about him. His body was still covered in cuts, and though his breath came in ragged gasps, he was still very much alive.

"Nnoitra!" He gasped suddenly trying to rise again, but another pair of hands held him down, this time by his shoulders. "You'd best stay still." Laughed a haughty voice.

_'Szayel..._

"Where is that sonova-

"Nearly dead, for the most part." Replied the effeminate man. "But you'll have a rematch against him soon enough, provided he lives."

"What're ya doing here, Kurosaki?" Snarled Grimmjow, shifting his gaze to the vizard.

He was rather surprised by what he saw.

The shinigami had a hollow look in his eyes, as if the light had been sucked right out of them. His face was slack, and his body bore all sorts of gashes and cuts. His tone was dull, but beneath lay untold misery, that much he could tell.

Not that he cared.

"It's a long story, but you'll hear it soon enough."

--

"You've changed again."Sighed Ulquiorra, as a figure appeared behind him. He wore is full mask, and he was in that monstrous second form of his, the one that had overwhelmed him only last week. "I take it you need my assistance?"

"That I do." Replied the demon ominously.

"And what do you intend to do with the Sereitei?"

"I will burn it to the ground."

"No matter what?"

"I will kill every last one."

Much to his surprise, Ulquoirra began to chuckle. "How very _Hollow-like_..... It soon built up into a laugh, which was eerily cold and chilly, as if he were ice itself. After a moment, the mirthful sound subsided, and he turned to face the hollowfied shinigami.

"Very well then. I'll join you in your vengance, Kurosaki."

--

_'Lets see. Nel, Nnoitra, Grimmjow, Szayel, Ulquiorra...and_ maybe _Yammy.'_These were the only original espada that were still around, and still _breathing_for that matter. Grimmjow was on life support, due to his wounds, Ulquoirra was still slightly wounded, and Yammy of course was _napping_.

Personally, he _hated _Yammy, and didn't want him to be an espada at all. He had taken down Rukia and Renji, and Ichigo was seething already when he realized that he was still living. He'd have to send him on a 'mission' so he could be rid of him.

Let his _friends _take care of the oaf. Ulquiorra had been somewhere above the dome of Las Noches, where Ichigo had left him. Of course, that had been after the cuarta espada had sliced off his horn, thus returning Ichigo's sanity to him, and saving Ishida.

Nnoitra he could barely even stomach, and was tempted to get rid of him as welll...

But that crazy S.O.B. was the only one who could fight on par with Kenpachi.

He was alive, but those wounds of his still hadn't fully healed. Either that, or he hadn't gotten his full strength back just yet. After a beating like that, you couldn't really blame him.

Nel was the only one that was alright physically, aside from Szayel, who had been the only other physically intact espada. Mentally however, was a different story for Nel. Before he had left Hueco Muendo, she had only _just_ recently recovered her memories, so that matter was probably still up in the air.

He didn't even know where she was, and the same went for Pesche and Dondochakka.

He'd ordered Szayel to track them down, and with any luck, he'd find her soon...

Kami, this was gonna be difficult...

"Ich-igo!" Growled a voice.

"Gah!" He cried, as Tatsuki stormed up to him.

"Where the hell did you go?!"

"Out!"

"Out where?!"

"Out!" He insisted.

"Well next time at least tell me where you're going!"

"Why?!" He barked back!

"Because I was worried about you!"

The sudden declaration made them both blush, and they immediately turned away from each other. Tatsuki glanced back to Ichigo however, and he did the same to her. Of course the silence couldn't possibly last, and eventually, they turned around.

"Look, I'm worried about you." He started.

"Don't be! I can take care of myself-

"Can you?" He asked, appearing behind her suddenly. "Can you wield a zanpaktou, use a sonido in a minute? Is your skin an impenetrable armor, can you sense reaitsu levels?"

She shook her head.

"You're gonna make me teach you, aren't ya?" He sighed.

She nodded, and he tossed her Kyoka Suigetsu. She caught the zanapktou between fumbling hands, a look of surprise on her face, as he drew a blade. "Here."

"Roar: Zabimaru!" He declared, and the zanpaktou took its shape.

Tatsuki took a step backward, as he brought up his stance.

"If you're to have any skills, I'll test you first."

He made ready to move.

"We'll find out right-

"Ichigo-sama, everyone has been gathered." Interrupted Kaname, appearing from nowhere. The vizard turned, dispelled his shikai, then sheathed the blade. "They do not yet know about Aizen's death, shall I inform them?"

"No, Kaname." Kurosaki shook his head, back in the role of the leader once more. He seemed to straighten just then, grow perhaps a bit taller, and bit firmer...

And a mask of unreadable emotion slipped onto his face, much like his own vizard mask, yet nowhere near as disturbing. Now, try as she might, Tatsuki honestly couldn't tell what he was thinking now.

"Let's begin shall we?"

--

Everyone looked up as the doorway opened. Many, many arrancar were now gathered, but some stood out from the rest. After all, it was glaringly obvious, even if the original espada were still in recovery.

A group of four people walked towards them. Each of them wore white, and of course, Gin and Kaname were recognized almost immediately. However, murmurres of confusion ran through them, as they saw the two newcomers in Aizen-sama's place.

"Hello, my dear arrancar." Spoke the one in the middle, the one with orange spiky hair, speaking to the congregation of adjuchas, gillians and current arrancar, though the former were far more numerous than the latter. This man radiated power, and his eyes ran over the hollows beneath him. "I am here to tell you that your precious Aizen-sama is no longer among the living."

When this did not unsettle them, he bid Tatsuki to raise Kyoka Suigetsu.

"He is dead, and you will follow me instead."

"NO! WE WILL NOT-

A hand gesture silenced the chaos that ensued.

The clenched fingers slid over his face, summoning the mask. His reaitsu pressed all of them to the floor, killing their cries of dissent, and outright disintegrating some of the lesser hollows on the spot.

**_"What say you now?!"_**

All of them went silent.

**_"We will start anew!"_**Ichigo spoke loudly and firmly, raising one hand to the masses! **_"The old espada are hereby disbanded! A new class of elited shall be chosen to lead the hollows into glory, and this time-_**

The doors on the opposite sides parted, and Ulquiorra stepped in, taking his place to the left of Ichigo, whilst Tatsuki stood on his right, with Gin and Kaname some ways back.

The prescence of the vasto lorde was enough to kill the uprisings yet again. Even more so when Ulquiorra got down on one knee, his head inclined in reverence and loyalty to Ichigo.

"Ichigo-sama is the leader of Las Noches." He stated upon rising. "If any of you disagree, then please, speak up." He looked down upon his fellow hollows, as if expecting an answering shout of dissent to come-

And when it did, he vaporized the hollow on the spot, leaving nothing but a small crater where it had been. The hollows gaped at the hole, looked up to Ulquiorra, then Ichigo, to the hole, and repeat.

"Anyone else?" Asked Ulquiorra slowly.

Abruptly, a loud cheer rose up!

"ALL HAIL ICHIGO-SAMA!"

**_"Together, we will grind those who oppose us, into dust!" _**Declared Ichigo!

"ALL HAIL ICHIGO-SAMA!"

A new era had begun.

An era of darkness.

And the worst was still yet to come...

**Ichigo will wait awhile before attacking. Possibly a year, to consolidate his strength for one final assault, since he basically has the same goal as Aizen now, to create the oken.**


	3. Gathering Prt 2

**lets clear some things up.**

**As far as following Aizen's path, I meant that Ichigo wants to wipe soul society off the map. And for that purpose, he's creating a HUGE army, for the sake of his revenge. That, or get the king to change the laws of soul society.**

**Now, a list of those who are alive and dead.**

**Living: the vizard are _all_still alive. Urahara, Kukaku, Yoruichi, and Urahara's shop staff are alive. Tatsuki is alive, obviously. All three of Halibel's fraccion, are alive, as is Lillenette. (Unfortunately)Loly and Menoly are alive as well. Grimmjow, Szayel, Nel, Ulquiorra, and Nnoitra are alive as well.**

**Deceased: Stark, Barragan, ALL of Barragan's fraccion, Halibel, Zommari, Aaeorniero, Renji Abarai, Rukia Kuchiki, Ganju Shiba, Chad Yastura, Inoue Orihime, and _all_of Ichigo's family.**

**--**

His hand was singed and burned, but he still finished the process of creating the 25th arrancar. Surprisingly, almost immediately after being formed, the arrancar activated its released form.

That usually meant that it was either VERY strong...

Or very stupid.

"What's your name?" He asked bluntly.

If you saw this one up close, he was truly a terrifying sight.

His back sported 2 dragon-like wings, their long, pointed tips, glimmering in the perpetual moonlight, black as night.

A black, segmented, scaly bone tail extended behind him, and its tip was deadly sharp. In addition to this, where the vertebrae were, it had spines on the top that are curved and also on the sides...

Meaning if he smacked you with it, you'd have horrible slashes all over your body.

His feet were black claws, two in the front, and one in the back for support, but upon closer inspection, those claws, were actually a strange variation of sandals. His hands were normal to an extent, except his fingertips, each digit, _was_ black and clawed, and his shoulders were armored as well, each ending in a ridged segment, sporting a wickedly sharp black spike at the tip, that curved outward.

Bellying his fierce appearance, his mask's pattern was 3 slash marks on each side thinly and 2 running from the eyebrows to his  
nose, his gleaming blue eyes shone behind it.

**"Agro Sekora." **It rumbled, steam rising from its jaws.

"Well Agro, seal your blade." Stated Ichigo as a nearby wall began to crumble and buckle from the strain of his spiritual pressure. "You'll bring down Las Noches as you are now."

The draconic hollow nodded, and the reptilian features faded away, taking the form of a serrated scimitar with a green hilt, and a black crescent U guard in the shape of a dragon's head. The blade itself was curved at its tip, whilst the edge stretched out nearly the length of his own body. The mask upon his face was now no more than a few white scales that were dotted slightly above his eyebrows.

His skin was surprisingly tan, and his body was still quite muscular, even without all that excess scales and armor. After bidding his newest comrade to go get dressed, Ichigo staggered down the hall wearily.

Needless to say there would be many, many more, for him to create, but for now, that was enough.

Tomorrow he would determine their ranks, which of course would ALWAYS be subject to change. He'd made that abundantly clear, from the very beginning. You lose a limb, you lose your rank. You attack your fellow arrancar, you lose your rank.

But if you touched Tatsuki, if you harmed so much as one hair on her head....

You were faced with death at the hands of Ichigo himself. Aside from this, the rule against the top four espada releasing while still under the dome of Las Noches was still in effect however, as Ulquiorra had explained it to him.

--

"Are you ready for your lesson?" He asked sternly.

Tatsuki surprised him by rolling her eyes.

"Knock it off Ichigo. You don't have to pull the whole high and mighty act with me." Kyoka Suigetsu slid out of its sheathe, pulled out with surprising grace and ease. "I've been practicing. Ulqui's been teaching me."

The vizard arched an eyebrow.

"Hold on a sec, he taught you the basics?"

She nodded.

"Has he taught you how to call the name of your zanpaktou?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, can you talk to it?"

"What the hell're you talking about?"

"Ugh! I'll just _show_ you then!"

He pulled out Zabimaru, and ran a hand over its surface. "Roar: Zabimaru." With a glimmer of red light, the blade transformed into its spiked shikai form, the blades gleaming in the dim light.

For emphasis, he heaved the snake blade at a nearby wall, splitting it straight down the middle. As the rubble fell into the hole he had created, Ichigo turned back to face Tatsuki.

"This, is the shikai of Zabimaru. Every zanpaktou has a sentinent spirit."

_'Wow, since when did Ichigo start using all these big words..._

Red light began to outline his form.

"And this-

"W-Wait a sec!"

He cut her off and cried:

"Bankai!"

When the red smoke cleared, a giant snake of spiked segments had coiled around him. The beast ended with a red mane, and the skull of a giant snake. Ichigo seemed to have changed slightly as well, for his shoulders and left arm were covered in fur, and around his throat dangled a necklace of teeth.

"Hihio. Zabimaru." Declared Ichigo.

"This is the second release of a zanpaktou, its _bankai_."

He held the snake by the tip of its tail, but its yellow eyes bored into her soul. A hiss escaped its mouth, but it made no move to attack Tatsuki, and remained in place.

He now reached towards Zangetsu, which lay strapped on his back.

"And this is what happens when you achieve bankai with _two blades...._

--

Tatsuki fell back on her but with a small cry of surprise.

Rubble was scattered everywhere in the training room, it looked as if a bomb had gone off, rather than a double bankai. "Senkei." Ichigo had called it. It had been horrifyingly scary, and he'd held back to boot.

Of course, to even the odds, he had lent her Shirayuki. However, Tatsuki's spiritual energy was severely lacking, and without the natural ability all soul reapers had, the power to call upon their zanpaktou...

She'd lost horribly.

Ichig stepped out of the smoke, in his normal form, having released the dual bankai a moment ago. Without thinking, he reached down, and offered his hand to her.

Grateful, she took it, and allowed him to help her to her feet. Almost immediately, her legs gave out, and Kurosaki was forced to catch her, via placing a hand at the small of her back, pulling her up again. But even after she had steadied herself, Tatsuki remained in that position for awhile. Her head rested against his chest, his heartbeat droning out all else-

"Oi."

"Ecchi! Why the heck were you holding my hand like that?!"

"Me?! Why you-

Her face softened slightly now, and she slowly released her hand.

"B-But if you'd like to try it again sometime...I...I guess that's alright."

Confused, he gaped at her.

"Um...I gotta go!" She said suddenly, and ran off.

Ichigo watched her go, then shook his head.

"Damn."

--

He stepped from the darkened room, and was immediately assailed with an:

"Ichigo-sama!"

Sighing, he turned his head in the direction of the voice...

And found none other than Loly and Menoly walking up to him.

His anger peaked immediately.

These two were still on his hit list, especially after what they'd done to Inoue. But Szayel had tended to their wounds, and they were a part of his army, so he at least needed an excuse to get rid of these two.

Plus, he did NOT like the looks they had been giving Tatsuki as of late. They were the reason for his rule against harassing Tatsuki. Granted, she was a spitfire, and was perfectly capable of handling herself-

But she was still only human, and her basic karate skills could only accomplish so much. A mere punch of drop kick hadn't done squat to him, nor would it have any luck against an arrancar. Recently had he begun to train her in the basic art of kendo, and maybe once she became proficient in it...

Then he'd drop the rule.

"What is it?" He put some authority into his tone, though it came out as more of a groan than anything else. He had one more duty to attend to, and after that he wanted to _sleep_.

"Um...should you be letting that human girl near the Hogyoku?" Asked Loly, knowing she was on thin ice with her new boss. She was expendable to him, and he'd get rid of her the first chance he got. "She might-

"Are you questioning my judgement?" He snapped, whirling on them!

"N-No! Not at all!" Sputtered Menoly, clamping a hand over her sister's mouth, and dragging her back a step. "We never meant to doubt you Ichigo-sama!"

"Oh? So now you think I am not fit to rule?" He leered down at them both, hand straying to his side, slowly, but surely. "Is there anything _else_ you would like to say? Any more doubts about my capabilities?" A spike of killer intent warned them to watch their tongues, because in his foul mood, he might just cut them off.

They shook their heads fearfully.

"Then begone!" He bellowed, and they scampered off in fear.

Ignoring the urge to just shoot them in the back, Kurosaki headed in the opposite direction, took a right, entering another stairway, which ended at another room. This particular room was aglow with many consoles and contraptions, the like of which he _still _didn't understand.

Szayel was currently hard at work at something, and wore a look of mild annoyance when interrupted from his task, tapping a key before turning his attention elsewhere. The look softened only slightly when he saw that it was Ichigo.

"Have you found her?"

"I'm afraid not." Replied the arrancar almost sadly. It really hadn't been anything _personal _when he'd helped Nnoitra get rid of Neliel. But he'd been _dying_ to test out his new machine, and the opportunity was right there...

Not wasting any more time, the vizard turned to go-

BEEP!

"Ichigo-sama!"

Szayel frowned, and tapped at several more keys with all the the speed of a practiced typist. His hands were a blur over the board, bringing up all sorts of sensors, scanners, and the like.

At last, one screen turned red, and seemed to pan in on something.

"I've found her!" Declared Szayel, basking in his own brilliance at being able to locate her reaitsu from this far distance. This might be due to his recent increase in strength, but just the same, he was quite proud of himself.

"Please Ichigo-sama, allow me to retrieve her."

Ichigo seemed to wait for a second, before deciding.

"Very well, but Ulquiorra-

As if he had been summoned, the vasto lorde appeared behind the vizard.

-will go with you."

**--**

The clanging of bells.

_"INTRUDER! INTRUDER! A ryoka has entered the rukon district-GYAH!"_

The message was broadcast to all squad captains and their subordinates. But apparently, something had happened to the speaker, as a chilling laugh was now heard on the other end.

_"No! Oh no! Someone help me-_

Kyoraku sighed sadly, as the cry was cut off by another blood curdling scream.

"Ichigo, what are you doing?"

_"Hello, soul reapers." _Came a familiar voice. It was oddly pleasant, calm even. Many were surprised at just how calm it was, as in the background, the screams of dying shinigami could be heard._"How are all of you doing? I trust you haven't forgotten me, have you?"_

"He's lost himself." Ukitake wore a look of untold sadness in his eyes. His gaze traveled to a portrait of Rukia Kuchiki, then a separate one of his deceased lieutenant, Kaien Shiba. "We have only ourselves to blame."

_"Well, rest assured, I haven't forgotten you, my dear_ friends_."_A small, pleasant chuckle, but the cruelty behind it was unmistakable._ In fact, I've left each of you a present. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed seeing the dead corpses of my loved ones."_

Each captain stiffened, as the sound of roaring grew outside.

Could he mean-

_"Have fun with my pets."_

The sky darkened with a thousand Garganta's, and the beasts began to our through. The shinigami all looked up in fear and trepidation, but one man looked upon the beasts, and grinned like the devil he was.

"Hell yeah! Let's get this party started!"

Zaraki Kenpachi.

Leave it to him, to be on the front lines when the enemy arrived...

--

The black blur that was Kurosaki Ichigo sprinted through the rukon district, heading to the countryside, and away from the chaotic sereitei. Behind him, Soul Society was in the very throes of chaos. He'd made good on his idea to get rid of Yammy, and had sent him and a tide of lesser hollows to harass the gotei 13 whilst he carried out his task.

With any luck, the oafish brute would get himself killed, and he'd have one less idiot to worry about. Hopefully, he'd at least take a few shinigami with him before the captains mobbed him-

A massive column of yellow light sprialed in the distance, and the strawberry chuckled.

"Nice. Looks like Kenpachi got him."

A blur of static drew his muscles taught but his mind told him to relax. He was still on edge from the constant ambushes he'd endured in Karakura, and though he already knew who had arrived...

The tension would not go away.

Two girls, twins, stood behind him, their arms laden with curious items and such.

"Master, we've retrieved the supplies you asked for." They said this as one, their eerie habit of speaking at the exact same time.

"Did anyone see you?"

"No one." Stated the redhead, dumping the items..

"At least no one amongst the living." Finished her twin with a small smile. She looked almost exactly like the redhead, but with blue hair instead of red, whilst her uniform also shared some of her favorite color preferences, which were of course, blue.

She too deposited her tools down upon the ground, then straightened up and waited alongside her sister. They both seemed to be waiting for something, as their green eyes were bright and eager.

Kurosaki turned his head to face them fully, gracing them with a small smile, and a pat on the head each.

"Ying, Yang, well done. You may go now."

The bowed once, and returned to the garganta he opened for them.

He waited until the void closed, then turned to the hill he was still climbing.

"Just a little bit more."

He crested the hill...

And there it was.

"Been awhile." He drawled to himself, but only silence greeted him over the open plain. This place brought back many fond memories. Memories of good times, when everything was so simple. The design was quirky as ever, much to his amusement.

Warily, he approached, on guard for any ambush.

Just being here was a risk, but he'd deemed it a necessary one. He alone could not discipline the countless masses of hollows that longed to become arrancar, and even then, he'd have to prevent any preemptive strikes.

There was only so much he and Ulquiorra could do, as the hollows refused to be intimidated by

But unlike last time...

The Shiba household felt empty.

It just wasn't the same without Ganju around.

Another friend lost to the war.

He inclined his head in respect for the dead.

"You were right to hate the shinigami. We're monsters, every single one of us."

Granted, they hadn't gotten along very well, if at all, but their constant infighting was more like sibling rivalry. A small chuckle, as he recalled her practically burning the house down around them, after they broke her pipe. He hadn't really understood why she went so easy on him back then, Even more when Ichigo had found out just who he looked like.

And who he had been/was.

Kaien Shiba.

Kurosaki didn't really understand if he was supposed to be this guy's reincarnation or what, and quite frankly, he didn't care. Whoever he had been in the past, he was Ichigo Kurosaki now, and that was that. With mild trepidation, he approached the house, then knocked on the door, a form of courtesy. When no one answered, he dared to take the liberty of walking in.

Hopefully she wouldn't kill him for this.

After all, even _he _was afraid of Kukaku Shiba.

Bargaining chip or not.

--

"I'm coming in!" Barked a voice, and before she could even say a word, the vizard barged in through the door, literally kicking it in. He found her sitting indian style in the middle of the room, smoking on her pipe.

She looked to be visibly surprised that he was here. Judging by the stunned expression she wore, she _certainly_ hadn't been expecting guests, least of all him...

"The hell do you want, carrot-top?"She grumbled, taking a drag from the pipe, then blowing the smoke out in a faint plume. Her green eyes narrowed slightly, when he refused to answer her, instead he unslung the satchel on his shoulders, then placed it down before her.

He sat down.

"You do know the entire sereitei put out a bounty for you, right?"

"I know."

"They want you dead."

"I know."

"Then what're you doing in Soul Society?!"

He met her irritated stare with a level one of his own.

"I...

Then, much to her surprise...

He bowed.

"I've come here to ask you for your help, Kukaku."

The head of the Shiba stared at him, gobsmacked by the sudden display of respect. A long, drawn out sigh escaped the pyro-works master. Was he deliberately trying to annoy her, or was he really just that dense? Whatever it was, he was driving her absolutely crazy!

"And why on earth should I help you?"

He slowly rose from the bow.

Kukaku honestly felt sorry for him now. Yoruichi had told her about the whole speel about what he had done, and why he had did it. Though she'd neglected to mention that she secretly sympathized with him on the matter. "Look, I know you probably had good reason for doing whatever you did, but I can't go and help you break into the Sereitei again."

A hand undid the clasp that held the pack together. "I'm not asking you to help me break into soul society.. Without another word, he rummaged through it, then pulled out what looked to be a small needle. "I'm asking you to help me destroy it."

For a second, there was only stunned silence.

"Say...what...?"

"You heard me. Just hear me out."

She sprang up, yanked out her zanpaktou, which now glowed orange!

"NO WAY IN HELL! BAN-

In an answer Zangetsu flew out, and cleaved out the prosthetic arm. For a moment nothing happened, then it clattered to the floor along with her sword, revealing what remained of her right arm, which ended shortly below the shoulder.

"Ulquiorra!"

Green eyes went wide in surprise. "What the hell- a pallid hand came from nowhere, seized her by the throat, and _slammed_her down to the floor. The impact jarred her senses, and Kukaku found herself staring up at a sickly white face, and green eyes. His grip was iron, and there was suddenly no air in her lungs.

"Ulquiorra, help me hold her still." Commanded Ichigo, approaching with the needle, crossing the room in a few simple strides, then kneeling down beside the one known as Ulquiorra. "Don't let her move an inch."

"Hai."

Was he going to kill her?

The pallid hand of the former espada tore away the bandages that covered the stump of a shoulder. Underneath was smooth and flawless skin of course, percfectly hale and healthy.

Ichigo now used his own considerable strength to hold her still, and then the other hand jammed the needle into her arm. A smirk traced at his lips, whilst he looked to where her sword lay.

"You were going to use bankai," His grip on her shoulder tightened, and Kukaku did not whimper, but instead spit at him. He ignored the glob and squeezed down harder.

"Weren't you? My my, against the great Kukaku Shiba's bankai, even I might've been in trouble," The syringe suddenly went in deeper, striking bone as the liquid substance was injected through her bloodstream. "_If_ I came alone that is." Though she did not give him the satisfaction of her screams, she saw cold determination in his eyes.

"What...did you...do?" She hissed through clenched teeth, as the shot left her feeling cold and numb. The room seemed to spin for a moment, before it at last became steady.

"I did you a favor." He replied, standing back up. "Or rather, I repaid the debt I owed you. You helped me to rescue Rukia once, and I never thanked you formally. So I decided to return something _you've_ lost."

"What's...lost...She gasped, in between labored breaths.

What could he possibly be talking about?

As if by an unspoken command, Ulquiorra released her, rising to his feet as well.

"Get up, and you'll see what I mean."

Warily Kukaku rose.

"What's that supposed to-AH!" The attack came so suddenly, that she had no possible chance of defending against it. But he did not attack her, oh no. It was her body that erupted into pain, all of its own. The stump of her right felt as if it were afire, and she clutched at it to stop the pain.

Her knees buckled, and she lost the ability to stand.

Sweat began to drip from her brow, forming a small puddle of moisture on the ground.

"Ah!"

It hurt!

"What...did you do to me...

IT HURT!

"You'll see."

"Gah!" She shrieked, rolling onto her back, clutching the roiling skin of her arm. Her breath barely came now, and even sucking in air was an agony beyond description. But just when she thought she was about to pass out, just when she thought she couldn't take it anymore...

It happened.

With a wet ripping sound, and a sick, squelching pop.-

A perfectly good right arm exploded from the stump of her shoulder grown from where the lost limb had been severed. First came the bone, then muscle covered it, followed by the nerve pathways, and lastly the skin itself. Her arm, it was covered in sticky, slmy fluid, but it _was_ there.

She flexed her newfound fingers, and was amazed to find that they actually moved. Awed, she clenched her hand into a fist, unclenched, clenched...

And slammed her palm into the ground!

A small crater was formed, and freed of the kinks in her new limb, the pain immediately subsided.

"Catch." He called, and her hand snatched her zanpaktou back out of the air, then snapped it back into the sheathe at her back. Her reaction had been dead on, she noted, just as if she'd never lost a limb.

Ulquiorra tapped Ichigo on the shoulder, and whispered something into his ear. Kurosaki frowned slightly, then turned his attention back to Kukaku.

"Excuse us for a moment."

--

Kukaku sighed, taking another puff of her cigarette as she watched Ichigo Kurosaki converse with Ulquiorra. The two seemed to be discussing something of great importance, and though she was tempted to eavesdrop, she resisted.

"He looks so much like you Kaien." Kukaku said softly, glancing back at the ryoka as he ran a hand through his rough spiky hair. She recalled Kaien doing the same thing once, and remembered all his scuffles with Ganju.

Ganju.

Without all his stupid antics, it really was lonely around here.

"Hm, maybe I _am_ going crazy."

_"Well, Ichigo does have the same determined look in his eyes as Kaien once held."_This came from her zanpaktou, who had not spoken to her in a long time, and Kukaku smiled, if only lightly.

"My brother was just as arrogant, Yamazaru." The spirit of her sword laughed at this of course, annoying Kukaku further. _"Heh, it makes me wonder if Ichigo is his reincarnation. He does share that interest in Rukia, just like Kaien did."_

"That boy...he makes me feel strange." Kukaku sighed, blowing a cloud of smoke in the air. "But what he's doing is wrong-

_"Is it? He may be justified in his actions."_

"Did I ask you?"

_"No, but I answered."_

"It's settled." Declared Ichigo, striding over to her, cutting off the heated debate she was having with her zanpaktou. "We'll stay here until the heat from the patrols dies down, and then you'll come with us."

_'Not giving me much of a choice, are you?'_

With one last inhale, she strode off towards the dining room.

"Just don't eat all my food."

Kukaku ate her dinner fast, not engaging in any conversation with the two that ate at her table. Instead, she remained silent, watching Ichigo from time to time. He resembled her dear brother so much. From his eyes, to way his hair was. From his nose, to the way he grinned, which had only been when Ulquiorra asked him what kind of food this was.

Kukaku abruptly stood, dismissing herself and walking down a few sets of stairs that led to a small garden. She'd never admit it, but she had a soft side just like everyone else.

With a sigh, she sat down beside a small pond she had, staring at her reflection. She missed her brother yes, but Ichigo _wasn't_him. Her brother was gone. A small, bitter smile crept on her lips when Ichigo's face came to her mind. She had to admit, she could see why Yoruichi was so enamored with the orange haired ryoka. He was handsome, passionate, and _very powerful_. He was the most determined guy she knew, and it was a privilege to know him. Even if he resembled Kaien, he wasn't him. He was Ichigo Kurosaki, son of Isshin.

"I'm sorry about your brother.." Startled, Kukaku turned to see Ichigo walking towards her. He wasn't wearing any of his usual weapons, and raised both hands in a peaceful gesture. "This place is nice.." He smiled softly, sitting beside her. She gave him a small smile, yet her eyes were downcast

"He was a great Soul Reaper." She said softly, feeling the tears in her eyes...wait, _tears_?

"A great brother too." She sobbed, lifting her new hand to wipe the water away as the tears fell. Ichigo looked at her with something akin to sympathy. He could tell she wasn't one who showed her emotions often, or if it was emotion, then it was usually anger. He looked down at her reflection in the pond.

"I'm also sorry... I resemble him. I didn't know before, until Yoruichi told me back then. If I knew then, I wouldn't have come." He said in all honesty. "I could've found another way-"

"That was the only way." Kukaku straightened, turning to look at him.

Ichigo searched her eyes.

He could see the pain she felt, and it was something he knew all too well, having experienced a misery above and beyond her own. True, she'd lost her family, but he'd lost everything.

"I don't want to intrude, but, who was Rukia that killed Kaien, wasn't it?" Her eyes deepened, her expression changing into a sad smile. She sat for a moment, silence falling over them.

"Kukaku?"

"Clever." She whispered, placing her hand in the pond, dispersing their reflection. "Very clever, carrot-top." Seeing him beside her reminded her of the many times she'd sat with Kaien and stared at their own reflections. "Yes, it was Kuchiki Rukia."

Ichigo's eyes widened, his voice caught in his throat. He may have known it for awhile, but still, actually hearing it aloud, was enough to rattle his cage quite badly.

He shared her pain.

"Rukia was forced to kill him. He'd turned into a hollow.. She had no choice." Kukaku said softly, sadly. "I just wish I'd have been there when they summoned me. I could've stopped this entire thing. Kaien could still be alive." Ichigo suddenly reached out, setting his hand over hers. Startled, she glanced up to him.

"I understand how you feel." He replied. "Not just now, but before. When I was little, my mom was killed by a hollow. Everyday, I wonder if I would've had my soul reaper powers back then, if I would've known the girl I was going to save was actually a hollow. I might've saved my mother."

A small sigh now.

"If I hadn't gone near that girl, none of this would be happening now. I'd be a normal teenager." Gently, he squeezed her hand, turning to her and smiling again. "But, I'm glad to have met Yoruichi, Rukia, and the others. I cherished every single moment with each one of them, and even though they're gone, I still carry a piece of them with me."

She glanced down to the two zanpaktou he had at his side.

"So they gave you their zanpaktou, huh?"

A nod.

"This way, I'll always remember them. And now I'm glad to have met you, Kukaku."

Another nod, then he spoke, almost to himself: "We're alike in a way."

"Kid, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were _hitting_on me." Kukaku laughed, squeezing his hand back. "It _is_ strange though. I don't feel the need to hide anything from you. I kinda get the feeling you understand me a bit."

"Yeah." Ichigo said, smiling lightly. "Which is why I want you to come to Las Noches with me. And after all this, what do you say we take some time out to talk again?"

"Yeah... I think I'd like that, Ichigo." Kukaku grinned, a genuine smile for once, not one that promised much pain for him. "But one things for sure, you better _mean_ _it_ if you try to pin me like that again. Next time I _will_ burn your ass."

Laughing, Ichigo nodded his head, remembering the look of pure shock on her face. It was a pure laugh, simple and mirthful, such that it even drew a small smile from Ulquiorra, who was leaning against a nearby tree.

_'Kurosaki, you are a strange one..._

"I'll keep that in mind. Now, lets get going." He smirked, standing. Using his hand, she stood and brushed her clothes off. "The patrols have probably died down by now."

"Don't be expecting to give me any orders." She said proudly, walking ahead of him. "Cuz I won't be taking any."

"Yes ma'am." Slowly, he followed her, until she stopped. "Uh, Kukaku?"

"And as for the small talk before," She whispered-

Suddenly turning and kissing him softly on the lips before he could even think about moving. Ichigo froze, but did not refuse the display of affection. She pulled back, her face flushed. "Thanks."

Neither said a word after that, feeling as if they'd already said what they needed.

Ulquiorra pushed off the tree, and appeared before them.

"Are we ready to go?"

"Yeah, but I need to make a pitstop first."

"Where, exactly."

A small smile tugged at Ichigo's face.

"Hat n' Clogs."

**Yes, he is going to see the vizards next! And next up, meet the new arrancar!**


	4. Surprise Surprise!

**ENJOY! And remember, insert appropriate Bleach OST music for appropriate scenes!**

"Ah, Kurosaki-san! What brings you here?" Urahara was acting goofy as ever. Granted, he wasn't exactly thrilled to know that Ichigo wanted to wipe Soul Society off the map, but without killing him, there really wasn't much else he _could_ possibly do.

"Where's Shinji?" Asked the strawberry, whilst Kukaku and Yoruichi conversed in the background. The two hadn't exactly seen each other often, and were now using the time to catch up.

"And why might you be looking for him?"

"I have to ask him something."

"They're quite angry with you, Ichigo." Yoruichi came up behind him to say this. For once, her golden orbs reflected calm concern, not the usual playfulness for which she was so infamous. "After what you did, you've gone and really lit a fire under them, and I don't really think they'll be willing to help you, let alone speak with you."

The vizard smirked, as Ulquiorra appeared next to him.

Almost immediately, Urahara was on guard.

But all the espada did was give a low bow.

"We meet again Urahara Kisuke."

He wore a disinterested expression at the sight of Benihime's shikai.

"Yari yari, shikai already? Don't tell me you're still _sore_ from that beating I gave you?"

Kisuke ignored the verbal jab, but it still stung regardless.

"I think we can handle yourselves." Finished Ichigo with a small smile.

--

Instead of actually walking in this time, he literally _kicked_the door in. With one simple blow, the rusted metal gave way. With a creaking groan, the old steel grate tipped, teetered, then finally fell, hitting the ground with a heavy thud that reverberated through the building.

Kukaku sweatdropped lightly at the echo.

"Have you ever heard of stealth?"

"Who needs stealth?" He shot her a lopsided grin, jerking a thumb at himself, his eyes sparking with desire for battle.. "They're already expecting me, so why bother being quiet about it?"

"Actually, he constantly leaks spiritual pressure, so its impossible for him to go undetected." Added Ulquiorra, completely _killing _the coolness of what Ichigo had just said. "Stealth is impossible for him."

"Urusai! Why the heck did you say that?!"

"Because it is a fact." Stated Ulquiorra simply, with a bland expression.

"Tch, whatever!" He then stalked forward, with Ulquiorra beside him-

"Oi!"

"Now what?" He sighed, turning to look over his shoulder.

Kukaku stared at him for a second.

"Don't get yourself killed, Ichigo."

He gave her a shark-like grin.

"Of course not. The hero never dies."

--

"Oi! Shinji!" He called, striding into the warehouse, with Ulquiorra standing guard at the entrance, in order to prevent anyone from escaping. They were all here, he could feel it, the only problem, was he couldn't _see _them. He leapt up to the ledge, but there was no one there.

"Come on out." Kurosaki sighed as he walked down the steps that led to the training zone. But surprisingly, no one was there either, though the smell of burnt steak filled the air. "I'd really not have to do this." He called, giving them one last warning.

When no answer came, he held Zagetsu out, still in its shikai.

"Fine, If you won't come to me, then I'll come to you."

His words echoed through the abandon building.

"Does _that_ sound fair?"

He was still half expecting a greeting when the attack _finally_ came.

"Bakudo #63: Sajo Sabaku!"

_'Hmm. That must be Hachi..._

He looked down and calmly observed the winding binding chains at work. Rapidly, they encircled his upper body, pinning him in place. Zangetsu fell from his hand, and his arms were now bound to his sides.

"Not bad!" He called, to no one in particular. "But you'll need more than a weak kido like that to hold me!

From out of nowhere, Hiyori came flying at him! Her zanpaktou was already free of its sheathe, and raised high. He was wide open, and the moment was just too good to ever possibly pass up.

Or was it?

With a mere flex of his wrists, the chains shattered into golden light. Hiyori didn't take the time to marvel at how he had broken the spell with nothing but sheer strength It was something only a hollowfied Kensei had done, and it was impressive, but she knew if she thought about that, it'd only slow her down.

There was only the here and now, only the _kill_!

One minute Ichigo was there, the next, he was behind her, leaving a blurred echo where had stood less than a second ago. "You're so noisy," He sighed, seizing her by the leg. "I could hear you breathing a mile away." Snarling, Hiyori twisted the hold on her blade, making it a reverse grip.

"Hope ya like the sound of yer own screamin!"

Her blade whipped down towards him, and he dropped Zangetsu-

To catch her zanpaktou, on his _bare hand_. Sparks flew, but he was not cut, not even flinching from the cold steel. Hiyori gasped as her blade raked across his palm, leaving nothing, not even the slightest scratch.

"N-No way!"

"Way."

With a smirk, he began to twirl around, pulling her with him-

And heaving her into Shinji, who had been creeping up behind him. The two blonde's collided in midair, tumbled on the ground for a bit, then fell back over the couch, tipping it over with them.

"You're quick." Ichigo noted with a small smirk, grabbing her by the head when she appeared behind him. Not wasting a second, he tossed her back into Shinji, who was quick to actually catch her this time.

"Damnit!" hissed Hiyori landing on the ground, smacking Shinji with a sandal to boot. She quickly dashed back out of his range and stood firm. Shinji picked himself back up, a look of amusement in his eyes.. "Phew! You're pretty quick too, Ichigo." He brushed the dirt off his knees, and actually smirked. "Almost as fast as me."

"Almost?" Ichigo raised a hand, held it out at Shinji, whose eyes now narrowed into slits. "I'm not even trying." Finished the ryoka, as he began streaming red energy from the air, into his hand, then focusing it to a honed point. After a moment of existence, the orb began to hum, arcing about wildly, ready to be released.

"Cero."

Shinji effortlessly sidestepped the ray of red light that vaporized the air where he had been. It traveled some ways, carving a swathe into the ground before bouncing off a wall of orange light, then dissipating. Apparently, Hachi had set up a barrier to keep him here.

"Jeez, a cero? Even _I _didn't anticipate that." Sighed Shinji in annoyance. He bent back down to pick his zanpaktou out of the dirt. "Now I have to rethink my whole damn plan."

"You had a plan?" Ichigo asked, arching an eyebrow.

Hirako cracked his neck, then let his shoulders sag. "I swear... A deep cleansing breath, as he closed his eyes, and let all the tension flow out with that single solitary breath. When he opened his eyes, the usual goofball known as Shinji was gone. In his place was a firm, unrelenting captain of the Gotei 13.

"You never learn."

Shinji flashed ahead again, this time stopping short of his reach with his sword arm back over his shoulder. He swung down _hard_, aiming for Ichigo's chest, but the shinigami blocked it with the same uncaring force that just barely moved his sword as before.

Sparks flew, and though Shinji pushed and strained, he could not overcome his opponent. It was as if _Ichigo_ was the wall, firm and unyielding, refusing to move an inch.

"How lame," Chuckled the strawberry. Simply by pushing harder with his blade, he clearly stole the advantage away from the former fifth squad captain, forcing him back and away, whilst Hiyori, having stood on and watched their scuffle, was now brutally kicked through a wall by Ichigo. "You can't even hurt me unless you release!" He taunted!

Before Shinji could reply...

Hiyori did.

"SHADDAP!"

A flare of spiritual pressure tripled their eyes, and Ichigo turned round to see an interesting sight. It was exactly what he had been waiting for and an almost demented grin crept up upon his face.

Hiyori Sarugaki now exploded from the debris, wearing her mask. Her eyes blazed violet with pure hate, and she was radiating intense energy that actually intrigued him. "I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" With a spring, she was at least halfway across the room already!

Shinji sprang back at Ichigo again, drawing his attention away. Steel met steel as they clashed, with the former firmly gripping with his blade, knowing that Hiyori had a shot-

"Heh."

A white blur lashed out from the right, and caught Hiyori in the chin, and all the while, Ichigo had never broke his stance with Shinji. The motion snapped her body to one side, catapulting her down into a wall of crates and boxes.

"Hiyori!" Cried Shinji, an agonized look in his eyes as the crates fell around her, effectively burying her in her own grave. She wouldn't be getting out anytime soon, and she could been seriously hurt!

"Baka yarou! You should be worried about _yourself_!" Cackled Ichigo, seizing him by the collar. Too late, Shinji realized he had been baited. But by then, Ichigo had driven him down to the floor. The ground cratered beneath him, and much to his surprise, the strawberry did the one thing no one had expected him to do.

"Bakudo #61: Rikujōkōrō."

Six thin rays of golden light pinned Shinji were he was, practically embedding him into the ground. Not wasting a second, Ichigo set about performing another spell, on top of the one he had already cast.

A flurry of rods shot out, pinning Shinji by his arms, and cutting deep into them as well, but not enough to kill him. But death was the least of his worries, as with a Sonido flourish Ulquiorra landed gracefully, beside Ichigo.

"I didn't need your help."

"My apologies. I will no longer interfere."

"Ichigo...why is he with you?"

Ichigo stared down at him coldly.

"Perhaps you haven't heard, Shinji. I'm not on your side, not anymore."

His eyes widened, then narrowed.

"Teme," He wheezed through clenched teeth. "What would Orihime think of-

Zangetsu split the ground, less than an inch from his ear.

Ichigo leaned forward to speak, his words a deadly hiss."I'll tell you what she thought. _"Kurosaki-kun! Save me! Kuorsaki-kun! Where are you?!"_That was what she thought! I could hear her screaming for me, even through the seki seki stone, while I _fought_ to get to her! She was thinking that she was gonna die, and guess what?! SHE DID!"

Shinji's face fell.

"I'm...sorry. I didn't know."

"Did you know they were after you?" He asked.

Shinji hissed in pain, but chuckled, managing a nod.

"Of course. But that doesn't explain why you're here."

"I wanted to test my skills." The shinigami daijo replied.

Ichigo made to pull Zangetsu free-

But instead ducked, just as Lisa's blade whizzed overhead.

"Oi! Lisa stop!" Shouted Shinji! "He's not the enemy!"

She landed, grunted in frustration, and started attacking with a spin kick, the same one that had nearly broken his neck during vizard training. This forced him away and smoothly, she transitioned from that, to an upward slash into a horizontal sweep. From there on he was forced into defense, blocking a nasty combo of stab, stab, slash and kick, all the while stepping forward into _his_ swings and hopping back when snapping into position.

Shinji uttered a string of curses as he fought to get free, pulling the rods out of his arms.

But what Lisa had in speed, she _lacked _in power. By increasing his spiritual pressure just a bit, he found himself able to match her move for move, then for some reason, she began to _slow down._

Ichigo noticed this, and stared down over his smooth, emotionless face at her.

"Hey, what's this?" He asked as Lisa chopped away at him, but her movements suddenly seemed so slow compared to last time. Right now, it looked as if she were wading through quicksand. "Where's the fun in your eyes, where'd your speed go? You are a vizard, aren't ya?"

"Shut up." She answered in grunts. Ichigo made one last move, shifting from a block to deliver a powerful low blow with his arm wrapped around his neck and his whole body twisting to whip the air apart with his sword. Though she sprang back, Lisa could not _entirely_get away from it, and the blade sliced through the tendon in her Achilles heel, just as he planned.

Crying out, she fell to the ground, her zanpaktou falling through her fingertips. He'd changed since they'd last fought. His movements, his techniques, they were _nothing_ like the raw instinctual attacks of before.

And the fact that he had coupled Kido with his new fighting style, made him even more of a threat. The attacks came with greater intensity now than before, and she rolled away, hitting a wall.

Continuing his swing, he allowed the cloth of Zangetsu to billow out around his arms, freeing his hands up for another spell, one that began with the clasping of his hands.

Pulling them apart, he now held a glowing rod in hand.

"Bakudo #62: Hyapporankan." Just like before, the rods shot out as they were thrown, but now, unlike before with Shinji they pinned Lisa down by her shoulders. They pierced the cloth, but left the skin untouched, thus effectively sticking her in place without any extra injuries.

Thus far, he had disarmed and defeated three of the eight visored, and all without using his mask. Then again, he hadn't necessarily given them the time to release, or use their vizard powers, nor did he want to.

The silent rush of air alered him to the prescence of Love Aikawa and Rōjūrō Otoribashi, a.k.a Rose. The former lunged in a stabbing motion from behind him, whilst the latter now came at him in a charge from the left, clearly intending to sweep him in half.

Shinji also shouted for them to stop, but of course they didn't listen either.

His thumb flicked the hilt of Shirayuki, drawing her out of the navy blue sheathe.

"Dance." He whispered, and the blade morphed into the dazzling white zanpaktou that had once belonged to Rukia Kuchiki. As usual, it was a pure white blade, with not a trace of imperfection to be seen.

"Tsuki Shiro!"

Fighting two captains at once was trouble, even for him. Effortlessly, the got around the first dance, a pillar of white ice. Regrettably, he hadn't practiced that much with Shirayuki, and as a result was horribly inexperienced with it.

But Zabimaru was not a close combat weapon like Zangetsu and Shirayuki. Something told him that he wasn't going to win this battle at long range, not that they'd give him the time to get away now.

_'Please block them, Shirayuki-san.' _He asked of her.

_I shall._

Of her own accord, Shirayuki pulled Ichigo's arm impossibly fast, tilting it to the left, then down, all in a second. Love was successfully nudged aside, and his slash harmlessly went to the the ground. Before he could move, the zanpaktou jabbed at him, getting some of his hair, but not any of blood, as he rolled away.

Rose, had been successfully stopped by Zangetsu, though the strain could be seen on Ichigo's face, and he was now being overpowered. Though they both seemed to be using shikai, Love had what _had_ to be his hollow mask on. **(Looks like the mask Kaname wore when he stabbed them)**

"Send em flyin' Tachikaze!"

Ichigo rolled away from the forced block, but sustained massive damage to his right side, as the wave of green energy whipped into him. It didn't dig in that deep, but drew copious amounts of blood.

He was sent spiraling backwards, landing in the underground training area. The impact was even worse than the attack itself, and nearly broken his legs as he tried to get his balance. This failed, and he lay in the cloud of dust, coughing and choking on the ashen debris, whilst Ulquiorra looked on silently.

The trio of captains slowly descended down the steps, and he struggled to rise, glaring at them furiously. Blood dripped into his right eye now, and he blinked it away, aware that they were speaking something.

These three were fighting on a different level, and to make matters worse, he'd never seen their moves before, unlike Shinji, Hiyori and Lisa.

He had no choice.

"Bankai." He whispered, wrapping Zangetsu back in its cloth. "Pierce the heavens and awaken the bloody ice princess!" The moment he said this, a strange thing began to happen. It began to snow. Inisde the building. Love, Rose and Kensei the three former captains looked up to witness this marvel for a moment. Ichigo's body outlined itself in redish white, and soon the snowfall became a blizzard.

"I didn't want to use this, but you leave me no choice!"

The storm blew back the former captains with his spiritual pressure alone. Kensei and Love donned their hollow masks now, well aware of the rapidly climbing spiritual pressure. The temperature had dropped rapidly by, freezing the ground beneath their feet. The snow came thick and heavy, blinding them. When the dust had cleared, he would have normally held Tensa Zangetsu, and his outfit had changed to that, but there was something else different about him.

A white aura with angel like wings and a halo surged about him, eerily alike that of Byakuya's senbonzakura Shukei. Shirayuki had now become a long odachi, much longer than its shikai form, but twice as sharp. He dragged it around the ground, and the ice was sucked back into the blade. The storm still raged violently, and he remained unfazed by it.

Zangetsu was just strapped to his back.

His mask was donned, and his cold eyes stared out at them. Slowly, the aura faded away into the cloth wrapping of Shirayuki, extending it somewhat, and then wrapping that cloth around Ichigo's left arm.

Seizing the cloth, he began to spin the blade, as if he'd be using it as a flail.

**_"This is her power."_** He stated, holding her before his face, making it all to clear what he was about to do, even as he stopped the spin, turned the tip of the blade upside down-

_**"Now freeze in hell!"**_

Slamming the blade down, a wave of ice rushed at them from all sides.

The trio were of course already behind him, but he knew that.

He effortlessly caught their blades on his own. Though this moved Ichigo from his spot in the ground his body oddly remained static while he laughed aloud, as ice crept from the steel.

"You shouldn't be having fun!" Love pointed out, leaving Ichigo looking surprised as they sprang back.

**_"I fight to live,"_** He said ominously as if it were a mantra. "**_and live to fight. Maybe you can't see the duality of that, but it doesn't neccesarily include fun. Besides, it's hard to have fun when I only have a few friends left._**

"Ichigo!" Shouted Kensei, throwing a hand out to make his point. "What are you doing?! You've let yourself become a slave to your own inner darkness! You're no better than Aizen!"

**_"Tell me, is it slavery when you get what you want?"_**Smirked the vizard.

Kensei held out Tachikaze, and Love held out his own.

"I'm using it."

"Che, no choice I guess."

Before anyone could ask just what it was-

They showed them.

"Bankai."

"Bankai."

A twister of green energy exploded from Kensei, whilst a redish blue fire surged from Love's zanpaktou, consuming him in the blaze.

Ichigo shielded his eyes under the harsh glare.

He was too awed by the spectacle before him.

Too awed to simply have at it again.

A bright green twisted had consumed Kensei, whilst Love was now hidden in the blaze of red fire. The sheer heat of it was _blistering_, threatening to overwhelm you. An air of malice could be felt in the air, nearly as thick as the all-encompassing reaitsu that had permeated the air. It was mockery in a sense, as if the very blaze was _daring _you to come close enough to burn.

Ichigo himself was struck speechless, even more so as he watched the blaze grow into a roiling twister of dark green flame. The tornado spiraled endlessly upward, yet stayed in place, as if something were tethering it there, preventing its destructive path from moving ever onward.

As the clouds roiled overhead, lighting began to dance overhead, within them. Yet the snow did not not stop falling, even as the air became charged with electricity.

This power...

It was like nothing he had ever felt before.

It was dark, sinister...

Yet _pure_, as if it had a clear purpose, other than destruction.

Suddenly, the twister, which had been crackling with electricity....

Died down.

If he thought it was over...

Then he was dead wrong.

Just as the winds died...

KKRAM!

A bolt of lightning struck the blazes!

Ichigo stared into the light as they were all consumed.

As if in response, the fireworks died.

--

Kensei now hefted a large axe over his back. The axe itself was double edged, just like Koga's, but that was where the similarities ended. This weapon was huge, nearly as large as Nnoitra's Santa Teresa. The weapon's pommel was a light green color, and from the there, the pole was a blackish blue color. The actual edge seemed to hum, silhouetted in Kensei's aura.

As if to make proof of his power,

"Sumasshu no issai. Yochi hokori okeru! Tachikaze." **(Smash all the world into dust, Tachikaze.)**

He caught the form of Tachikaze's bankai, the large axe, and easily threw Kensei to the ground. Love's zanpaktou now resembled more of a two pieced staff than anything else, but it promised much pain if it was to hit you, as the pole itself was short, and the majority of the staff comprised of two blades, one at each end of the staff.

"_Shinkou _katto no Tenshu." **(Slice: Slashing god of the underworld)** He pushed the glasses back up onto his face, and they gleamed in the snowy atmosphere. "Sorry kid, but its as good as over now."

**_"Is that all?"_**Ichigo asked, tilting his head with a fanged smile.

Rose frowned.

"Don't be so cocky. It'll get you killed."

**_"I have a reason to be cocky."_**He replied, pulling Zangetsu out. **_"I'm only at a third of my power right now, because I wanted to see if I'd mastered senkei. Apparently not, but I suppose half of my overallstrength will do_**."

**_"Bankai."_**

In a glow of red, Zangetsu became _Tensa Zangetsu. _Ichigo's form now seemed to blur, and his spiritual pressure became double of what it had been just a second ago.

Love stepped forward, and announced that he would face Ichigo alone. The ryoka would have absolutely none of that, none of it what-so-ever, and you could see it in his eyes.

**_"Now, now"_**Ichigo said, getting into a low-to-the-ground pose, yet keeping his weapons at the ready. **_"One on one? What fun would that be?"_**

"Huh?"

**_"All three of you! Come at me!"_** He snarled, getting into position, then he springing!

Rose raised his sword back up and Love lowered his own to rest his now shaken arms. As Kensei threw a fatal blow straight down, Ichigo flashed backwards and dodged it. Zangetsu sang through the air, under his guard, and blood flew as the slash was drawn. Still, his opponent fought on with a bleeding chest and a frozen arm, he started running forward close to the ground. Ichigo changed tactics, as Love and Rose now joined in as well.

He started sweeping hard and slow from left and right, first with only Shirayuki, as the ice kept them away, but then with Zangetsu as well. Kensei knew the swings couldn't be properly blocked by Tachikaze and he thusly dodged and stepped away from what he could. Ichigo pulled back for what looked like a thrust and Rose stood with his arms down, glaring through his bangs at the man trying to cut him apart.

Ichigo did indeed thrust, but Rose's _absurd_ speed allowed him to step _onto _the attack, walk down the sword, and get his own blade at Kurosaki's throat, whilst Love did the same. Ichigo gave a mighty shrug at his shoulder and spun, forcing them all back, and raking Love across the hip with Shirayuki, nearly cutting him in half.

He was hit with such force that the lower half of his body not only _froze_, but the ice seemed to be the only thing holding it together. Love stared through cracked glasses, gasping for air.

"Sonova...

Then passed out altogether from the blood loss, leaving only Kensei and Rose to combat this menace.

"LOVE-CHAN!"

Brown eyes slid to the left, less than a second before a thick pair of boots slid into his face. The impact was brutally bonejarring, more than enough to send the strawberry spiraling into a nearby boulder, though he reemerged from the dust a second later.

The left half of his mask was gone now, but he ran a hand over it, and there it was again.

Fully restored.

**_"How annoying. Two captains and a lieutenant..._**

"Mashiro. Kensei and _I _will handle him." Rose said calmly, stepping before his two comrades, catching an unseen strike, which was now revealed to be Ichigo." Twisting his wrist aside, he flung back the vizard.

**_"So you can follow me."_**Ichigo said, charging right back in._ **"That's interesting."**_

"You can't hope to outlast me." Replied Rose, stepping before his comrades. "Eventually, one of us will lose this battle."

**"Of course not. What kind of warrior prides himself on a never-ending fight?"**Ichigo asked. He didn't wait for an answer from his enemies, he just blew forth with a mist of his own spiritual pressure trailing behind and around him. He came in with the intention of using both hands to empower his attack, but Kensei managed to block it with only _one_.

Then he deflected it, throwing Ichigo' sword above his head, whilst Rose kicked Ichigo away. The counter was successful, and Ichigo found himself quickly running forward for the follow-up attack, which came in the form of Mashiro running headlong at him.

He grabbed her by the face, dragged her along the ground for someways, then tossed her body aside like a limp rag doll. She was actually perfectly alright, but made no move to get up, as Rose and Kensei engaged Ichigo once more.

She couldn't keep up with this.

Kensei got on his feet and blocked what could only be described as a flurry of blind slashes straight from hell. They came randomly and extremely fast. Some cuts and gashes appeared on his arms and legs, one shallow cut on his torso and a nick on his face. Just the pressure with which Ichigo swung his sword was cutting him, even through his own pressure field.

**"Die."**Ichigo announced. He rose his sword up high and arched his back. This next attack would obviously be lethal. But it was not lethal, for at that moment Rose vanished, pulled Kensei aside and Ichigo's face went from wildly happy to frozen in confusion.

His sword felt a bit heavier.

"You know," Rose breathed, standing from the tip of Ichigo's zanpaktou, then flipping away when Ichigo blasted a wall of ice at him. Like a practiced dancer, he came down, and landed with a spin. Yet he stood firm, and pointed his zanpaktou at the onrushing wave. "I never really relish the end."

He now sighed heavily, just before he was lost in the avalanche."Bankai." The diamon shapled hilt of his zanpaktou shattered, consuming the soul cutting blade in silvery light. "Tenshi no Higuren Kongouseki !"** (Ravage: Angelic God of all Light!)**

Ichigo felt pain explode in his arm, as a beam of yellow energy shot past him, burning some skin off his shoulder. Not to mention that the avalance he had just sent his way had vaporized.

Rose now held an eerie golden yellow scythe, with a black edge. He slowly spun it in a circle, and it created a hissing sound as it cut through the air. His hand lovingly stroked Kongouseki's edge, then his red eyes opened, as that was what color the mask made them. "What do you think now, Kurosaki? Is this, my bankai, good enough for you?"

**_"Heh"_**Ichigo grunted.** _"It is fitting, but useless all the same. I'll commend you for taking good care of her, but your range has become less than half of what it was when you had a normal sword!"_**

"That's where substance and style come in handy" Rose said. He continued spinning Kongouseki at his right side with both hands twirling it and started running ahead. He only had a few steps to got before he was in perfect range. Ichigo brought his sword up and blocked the first attack, but the reaping horizontal cut still pushed his sword enough to dig into his side.

Then, Rose drew the scythe all the way around with a few eloquent spins and attacked Ichigo's unguarded right side. It was barely blocked but the cut was still present, this time deeper than before. "You see?" He said, spinning the scythe back around his back and kick-flipping to the side, "Style overrules raw power."

**_"Like hell it does!" _**Ichigo said with a grin. Rose did not take it as a joke and frowned while he brought his scythe in front to block Ichigo's jumping slash. As the vizard landed he shouldered Rose with the weight of his body, forced his feet off the ground and he swung down _hard_. He expected his enemy to fly away, but instead the captain _hacked_his blade in the ground and used the force to spin himself around and fly into Ichigo's face feet-first.

Now blinded by his feet and off-balance by his weight, Ichigo was at Rose's mercy for an attack. He took advantage and dug his heel into the strawberry's nose, spun around and made a head-splitting chop that traveled nowhere near Ichigo's head but sank into his stomach all the same.

**_"Ow!"_** He shouted. **_"That one hurt!" _**His pain only served to amuse him, and his totally emotionless voice only added to Rose's own unsureness of the direness of his attack. Ichigo, using his opponent's blinding aura to guide him in the storm, brought his own sword up and smashed Rose in the back of the head with the edge.

It was stern and powerful enough to force the captain to stagger off his face, which let _him_lunge forward face-first to throw Rose away. However, his scythe stayed inside the vizard, who looked down at it in surprise. Once Rose landed, he spun around quickly to recover and looked on with _dread_ at his scythe's current location.

But much to his surprise, Ichigo pulled it out, spit out some blood, then threw it _back_. It bounced once and Rose caught it, twirling it around his body like a waist-high halo.

"Thanks." He said honestly.

**_"Don't thank me." _**Ichigo growled. **_"I'm trying to kill you!"_**

"Well, not for that." Rose corrected. "I was thinking you'd break my weapon."

**_"Really?" _**Ichigo said, cocking his head to the side. **_"Why would you think that?"_**

"I'm not sure" Rose admitted. "Honestly, I wanted to see what you would do if you had my own weapon in hand. If you did break it, well, then it would mean I was not destined to defeat you."

**_"Defeat me? As if you could do such a thing."_**

"Then lets end this, shall we?"

**_"Yes lets! NO MORE HOLDING BACK!" _**Ichigo roared right back with his own toothy smile and they both charged. Rose now adapted his style of rapid rotation against Ichigo's tried and true method of 'attack until you can't'. The scythe spun between his fingers and hands with the speed and lethality of a rotary saw, making Shirayuki's elegant graceful dance look almost like foolish steps.

Rose spun around on one foot, while his scythe blade cut the air behind him, all the while he spun right into Ichigo's defense. Now at the edge of his reason, Ichigo decided to hit the scythe out of its rhythm and in doing so, brutally kicked at Rose, intending to knock the air out of him. He dodged, however, and got his rhythm back by spinning the blade and chopping into Ichigo's foot.

Blood spurted into the air, but the enraged visored just kept coming.

Mashiro pulled up her mask to expose an expression of worry.

"He's losing."

"Who?" Quipped Kensei, tending to his arm...

_"**HAAAH!" **_Ichigo shouted, with all the berserker rage of a pyschotic Zaraki Kenpachi! He made a clean hack that traveled right into Rose's scythe, taking a small piece of it. Rose pushed him off and countered with an overhead, helm-splitting blow that cut a diagonal gash in Ichigo's torso, shoulder to hip. He assumed that the boy would waver in pain, but he _again_underestimated his opponent's sense of fear. Ichigo retaliated in a fierce fashion, by not only lashing out with Shirayuki, but jamming Zangetsu into the ground, and _finally _pulling Zabimaru out of its sheathe.

Faster than the eye could see, the spiked blade chopped into the bone of his left shoulder. The fragments exploded into his body, and if not for the influence of his zanpaktou and hollow mask, Rose might've dropped right then and there.

Instead, he slid from the blade, ignoring the pain as he dragged the flesh away from the deadly spikes. His arm dangled at an odd angle now, but he kept spinning his scythe around in his _right_ hand. His left arm was now no longer able to move. Still, that didn't hinder him. He was able to expertly spin the scythe around with one arm and catch it with his neck and legs to perform a trio lethal kicking slashes.

Ichigo stumbled away from it, the last slash pushed past Zabimaru, and he lost the upper left portion of his mask as a result. Dropping Zabimaru, he raced back to where he had left Zangetsu, picked it up-

A second too slow.

Now he took his scythe by the edge of its long handle and made a devastating cleave into Ichigo's upper body. Luckily, he jumped away before the slash plowed through his muscles, sparing his throat, but Rose came upon him with eyes of total aloofness, not that he minded at all. Ichigo stabbed into him with both Shirayuki _and_ Zangetsu as he came forward, taking the upper right portion of Rose's mask.

Rose didn't notice, as he was too busy readjusting his grip to the _middle_of his scythe and slicing straight into Ichigo's right pectoral. Blood went everywhere, some from Rose and some from Ichigo. The ground was stained red all over now, the inhuman amounts of blood overflowing the soil and pooling all around.

Everywhere the warriors stepped, things died and decayed instantly. The ground quivered and quaked in fear, whilst Kensei and Mashiro looked on silently.

Whoever won this fight would be the undisputed victor. Even if Ichigo came out of this fight heavily wounded, he and Mashiro wouldn't be able to match him, and he had that arrancar of his for back up. Nothing could possibly match up with that kind of speed and power, except Rose.

It was up to Rose.

_'You'd better not lose..._

"DIE!" both shouted in unison. In a final ditch, Ichigo dropped Shirayuki, took up Zangetsu with both hands, and brought his sword around with his _off_ arm whipping fast in the other direction to propel his hips to twist into the swing. The blade traveled to Rose's neck, as time seemed to slow.

Simultaneously, Rose made a similar gesture and brought his scythe to Ichigo's neck-

"Bakudo#81:Danku."

A wall of energy appeared between them, splitting both fighters apart. It then summarily exploded, further forcing them back. Through the fire and the flames, a figure emerged, and Ichigo's eyes went wide.

It was-

**O_o who is it? You'll have to wait till next time.**


	5. The Shadow's Return

Rose was just as surprised as Ichigo, but that surprise only registered for a moment. As if they shared the same thought each soul reaper raised a hand into a fist. The light coalesced

Surprise reflected in their eyes, but by that time it was far too late to do anything about it. The energy had already escaped their grasp, and no force on this earth could call it back.

Faster than the eye could see, two cero one red, the other light gold, collided into the wall. Crimson met saffron, creating a bright orange glow as the two vizards strained and fought at the barrier. Now, the splitting void was indeed a mighty spell. It could block any kido up to eighty-nine. However, Bakudo# 81 was only meant to take a _kido _attack, not an actual blast of _pure _unrefined spiritual energy.

Powerful though it was, the Bakudo chant simply was not built, nor _meant_ to stand up to a hollow flash, let alone stop it completely. And it certainly could not contain two cero striking it from opposite sides, at the exact same time.

Against two visored enhanced cero's, and two very powerful visored at that, it stood absolutely no chance. Unable to take such explosive force for more than a second, the spell shattered, spraying wild fragments of energy this way and that as the blasts powered their way through ramming into each other.

An explosion marked the end of the two blasts, but Kensei could easily tell that they weren't done just yet. He'd seen who used that Danku spell, but they had obviously decided to wait a little longer. Now, through the dust and debris, Ichigo was already done charging up another cero. It dangled before his pointer finger like a small ball on a string-

Which now snapped.

**"Adios, taichou." **

The incredible rush of red fire poured from Ichigo's outstretched grasp, burning out like an active volcano. Shooting through the atmosphere, it moved through the space separating it from the target, soaring over the grassy plains in a matter of seconds. In no time at all, the godlike fury had crossed the abyss towards the man, who only stared at it in surprise.

"Kuso!"…butjust as the laser was within his fingertips, he let loose with his own cero, running its saffron wave outwards! It rammed straight against the crimson, forcing it away with an earth-quaking force! It pushed and shoved with all the power the captain could muster, meeting it blast for blast in a final struggle for supremacy!

The collision nearly forced Rose to his knees, but much to his relief, Ichigo was having the same difficulty as well. Cero were not meant to connect with each other, and the result was taxing on the both of them.

It seemed to go on like that for awhile, neither giving an inch, as their reiatsu faded and withered. In reality, only ten seconds had passed, but to these two, those ten seconds felt like a hellish eternity.

With great effort, Ichigo finally brought his free hand around, and held Zangetsu out.

**"Getsuga...**

The cutting wave began to charge, its redish black light shone over the battlefield. Within seconds, it was halfway formed, and the only reason Ichigo hadn't fired it yet, was due to his beam struggle with Rose, which was messing up his concentration.

Said captain noticed this, and though he had both hands preoccupied with firing his current cero, pressed what little energy he had left into overcoming the struggle.

"HAAAA!!!!!"

A struggle that he would win.

For by applying just a little bit more energy, he was able to push the red-white bolt backward. He found the enemy's force to be strong and formidable, well designed for combat. But it was no equal for his own power.

"RAGH!!!" With a sudden shock of power, his cero increased his beam's intensity ten fold, disintegrating Ichigo's cero attack into harmless vapor. It tore through it's bulk, eating through the flame like it starved for blood. And indeed it would get blood, for it was soon within his opponent's area.

**"Tenshou!"**

Just before he was struck, Ichigo jumped wildly swung Zangetsu, attempting to split the cero down the middle. This worked to some extent, as he did miracuosly manage to split the blast in half-

But the halves rejoined and curved upward to pursue him.

Rose saw the Tenshou wave coming a second too late, as did Ichigo with the cero.

Both warriors paled in surprise as the swathe of sinister energy roared over them. Ichigo raised his right hand to block at the last second, as did Rose, but they were overwhelmed by the respective attacks nonetheless.

They both broke through, sending a cataclysmic explosion into the world. Rippling with cosmic rings, the orb of destruction completely masked the targets inside its volume. An double explosion, one red, one yellow, now rocked the battlefield, and Kensei flinched as he felt the two superpowers drop like a _stone_.

Though Rose had scored a direct hit on Ichigo, the captain had also sustained a full on Cero. Hollow mask or not, an attack of that magnitude still had to _hurt_.

Soon it started to clear, and Kensei squinted his eyes to look beyond the fading detonation.

"Mashiro, can you see who w-

He let the sentence die as he saw her hands clenched into fists.

For once in his life, Kensei was startled by his former lieutenant.

_'What the..._

Her entire body was trembling visibly, though it was clearly not from fear, yet something _far_worse. Slowly, she unsheathed her zanpaktou, her hazel eyes sliding shut. After a moment of tense silence, the rectangular tsuba began to glow a soft green color, then the blade itself was basking in the viridian glow.

Her eyes slid open, and if looks could kill, Ichigo would be dead a thousand times over. Her lips began to move and she whispered softly to herself, the words coming out as a deadly hiss: "Wareme: Ashige-Dageki." **(Split: Kicking fiend)**

Mashiro had a look of pure fury in those eyes of hers now, meaning that she'd like maul Ichigo any second, once she could see him. Her zanpaktou dissolved at the hilt, turning into a thin filmy substance that now, coated her already powerful legs in wicked spiked mesh that went up the length of her legs, even sporting spikes on the kneecaps. It would doubtlessly add further weight to her kicks, should they ever land on her fellow vizard.

Such a thing was incredibly rare, to see her so angry.

When the smoke cleared, you could see just how much it _hurt_. The two combatants were panting heavily as the ash and smoke worked its way across the field.

The ditzy girl stifled a gasp, hands flying to her mouth, muffling the horrified shriek.

And for good reason.

Rose now sported a nasty burn on his and left right side, and to make it worse, it was his _good arm_ that had taken most of the damage, for the brunt of the attack had been redirected there at the very last second. Blood now pooled beneath him, dripping from a head wound. What little remained of his mask was the portion covering his right eye, but that was it.

Ichigo had also sustained some damage, and had his right sleeve ripped off, with his right arm sustaining some bad burns. The area of his lower chest was also ripped and torn, with blood dribbling out of the shallow cut.

"Give up." Sighed Rose, trying his best not to collapse.

"You...give up." Panted Ichigo, leaning on Zangetsu for support. Though appeared to be barely standing, just like Rose, unlike the former captain, his glare was not the only deadly thing about him now. "Besides, using that kido was a low blow."

"I... did not use Kido." Insisted the captain. "You can barely even stand, let alone fight-

Defying this point, Ichigo raised a trembling finger.

"H-Hado #1: Sho!"

The small concussion wave slammed into Rose with such force, that he actually vomited blood, further staining the ground crimson. His mind worked frantically, trying to figure out why such a weak spell like that, and one without the chant, had even hurt him at all. Seconds later, his legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground.

His arms and legs refused to work, no matter how hard he tried to move them. Disbelief clouded his thoughts, and he simply could not comprehend how this had happened.

_'A low level kido like that, and still this much damage...?'_

"Perhaps I should explain?" Sighed Ichigo, touching at his face where the mask still remained. The basic white right half of it was entirely gone now, exposing a small smirk, even as he spoke. "A kido, is based on the caster's own spiritual energy. The more you have, the bigger the 'oomph' of a spell. Surely you knew that?"

Six rods of light now pinned Rose into place.

_'Without the incantation or the name..._

"I might suck at controlling my reaitsu," Replied Ichigo, as he finished up the binding with a crawling rope, then a basic restraint spell. "But that doesn't mean I _can't_ control it."

_'When did he learn this..._

"How can you use such high level-

"How?" A small laugh now, and he straightened up, though with a visible effort. "You can thank Rukia for that." The visored looked away at the mention of Kuchiki-san's name. "She _ground _the stuff into my brain, day after day, night after night until I actually remembered half the stuff." A faraway look reflected in his eyes now...

--

(Flashback)

_"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone, flutter of wings, ye who bears the name of Man! Truth and temperance, upon this sinless wall of dreams unleash but slightly the wrath of your claws."_

She closed the book and looked up at him.

"See? It's easy."

He scowled when she plopped the handbook in his lap.

"Now you try."

The strawberry sweatdropped.

"Are you kidding? There's no way I'm gonna recite all that mumbo-jumbo-

"Oh really?"

Rukia pointed her open palm in his face.

A devilish grin tugged at her features. At that moment, he was absolutely _positive _that and she took great pleasure in the gobsmacked expression he had to be wearing.

_"Hado #33: _**Sōkatsui!"**

"Ack!" Cried Ichigo, yelping in surprise, jerking his head back as the kido blew up right before his eyes, yet because he ducked at the last second, it passed harmlessly over his nose, singing it instead of taking his face clean off, but blowing a small hole in the wall of his bedroom.

Needless to say, he was none too happy with her.

"What the hell was that for?! I'm still injured and you're trying to kill me?!"

"That's the purpose of this training." She replied smugly, holding a finger up before his face. " Like Nii-sama, you've got plently of power, but unfortunately, _you like Renji_ can't control it very well-

"I can use Getsuga Tenshou can't I?!" He protested, and then his scowl darkened. "And stop comparing me to Byakuya! I'm nothing like Renji either!"

"Yes, but that's a one trick pony, Ichigo." Countered Rukia, placing two fingers on his chest, "And I was only using an analogy, comparing you two like that." He crossed his arms and looked away from her as she went on. "You need to have _flexibility _in combat." This action was suddenly eerily familair, and caused the substitute soul reaper to pale.

"Wait a sec, what're you-

With a smug smirk, she swiped her hand across his chest in a slashing motion.

"Bakudo #1: Sai!"

"Gah, not again!" He whined, falling to the ground. "How many times are you gonna use this?!"

"As many times as it takes for you to learn." She scolded, finding the position he was in to be rather amusing, perhaps even more so than last time."Now, try to break it using only your spiritual pressure."

When he refused to do so, she held up her hand again.

_"Ye lord! Mask of flesh and bone-_

"Alright alright!" He growled.

"Glad you saw it my way."

"Shaddup..." He grumbled, exuding some energy-

And found he could move.

"Hey!" He cried in surprise, springing back to his feet and flexing, for indeed his full mobility had returned to him once again. Confusion now marred his face, replacing the usual scowl he always wore. " But what happened?"

Rukia stared at him in surprise, then sighed, planting both hands on her hips." Of course...That was only a level _one_ spell. I should've remembered that you'd be too strong for something like that."

Before he could accept the compliment, she held two fingers up in the air.

"Let's try something more powerful. We'll work our way up to the higher spells later tonight."

"AH!"

(End flashback)

--

"I hated every minute of it." Continued the strawberry, a look of profound sadness in his eyes as he reflected upon the fond, yet horribly embarassing memories of that time. " She put me through the ringer, I didn't like it one bit. I had to break out of spells, deflect spell, repel them, Then I got stuck memorizing all the incantations-

He caught himself rambling, and shook his head."That's not the point though. In the end, I actually learned how to perform some high level spells in that week." The last part now came out in a bitterly miserable whisper. "Now... I'm glad she was so persistent."

Rose wasn't going to admit that he'd actually _forgot _about that. Every soul reaper knew, that even in the heat of battle, kido did not lessen, no matter the _physical _state of the user. So long as he or she, the user, had reaitsu to back up the spell, the demon magic would still pack plenty of bite. The fact that he was on _his _last legs didn't help much either.

The sad thing was, he didn't think Ichigo knew _how _to use kido.

He'd always seemed to be more of the hack and slash type, the one to charge in without thinking. Now, he'd come to realize the kid was a _damned _good strategist, and along with the kido and combat abilities to back it up, he was a triple threat.

But being away from Soul Society for so long, more than a hundred years to be exact, was no excuse to be _this_out of shape. He'd come at the ryoka with everything he'd had, nearly cut him to ribbons and though that cero had been a last ditch attack, he had meant to end it with that last shot.

The fact that Ichigo was still standing meant only one thing.

He'd underestimated him.

Severely.

"Speaking of kido...

Though he had clearly won, Ichigo made no move to finish him. In fact, it looked like he was about to say something, know squatting down on his haunches, so he could stare Rose in the eye.

The kid looked about ready to collapse, but still his words came.

"Tell me, has Hachi perfected that kido of his?"

Rose gasped.

"Kurosaki, you can't possibly intend to-

"I do."

It all made sense now! At first, they had believed he came here to kill them, and thus far, he had certainly made it believeable. But he could've easily finished off Love and Kensei by now, not to mention Hiyori and Lisa. But he hadn't. He'd crippled them, granted, but after that, he just turned to the next one.

"You're mad! It'll never work!"

"Mad? I prefer the term, thinking outside the box-

"TEME!"

Her shriek was the only warning he received, and even then, he _barely_ moved in time. Had he not heard her fierce scream, he wouldn't have dodged-

As it was, the spin kick broke a rib and threw him into the ice covered stone. He felt the spikes dig deep into the cavity of his chest, nearly an inch from his heart and lungs.

When they were yanked out, he willed himself not to scream.

"You...

With a unnatural fury she whirled on him, and the air wheeze out of his lungs as she delivered a blindingly fast series of kicks, before he seized her by the head, and slammed his fist into her gut, enjoying the sound of breaking bones as he hit something-

Until he realized it was his own hand that had broken.

Mashiro seemed to realize this, and delivered a brutal kick that nearly snapped his neck, raking her spikes in deep, tearing a new bloody trio of gashes along his collarbone.

His mask took the brunt of the blow, saving his life, but shattering up to slightly below his eye.

With another kick, she sent him screaming into one of the few remaining boulders. The dust cloud prevented her from seeing him, and what he had coming next took away what little strength he had left.

"Hado #88:**Hiryugekizokushintenraiho!"**

The massive wave of blue light erupted from the smoke, and nearly consumed Mashiro, who was forced to get out of the way, or be devoured. Ichigo now appeared behind her, and whipped Zangetsu around as hard as he could with his good arm.

**"Getsuga Tenshou!"**

He wasn't able to tell if he'd hit her or not, as he fell to the earth with a thud after he used up his energy.

Ichigo forced himself to rise off the cold and unfeeling ground, as two silhouettes were seen in the still roiling inferno of dust and flame. He kept his back to them, but by opening his palm, Zabimaru and Shirayuki flew across the ground to him, the former landing in his left hand, the latter beside his right.

"I... thought that was you." He replied, turning around slowly. He now walked away from Mashiro, who was the only one not to shiver as the temperature dropped again. He blinked some snow out of his eyes, and watched the flames begin to finally dissipate.

"A' course. I couldn't let you fry Rose."

"So you're alive, Shinji." Ichigo panted, recognizing one of the two figures that now emerged from the cloud of smoke and ash. The moment he saw who the _other_ individual was he actually started to _laugh _though it hurt considerably to do so. "Oh, and Hachi too? He's actually going to _fight_ me? That's rich!"

"Hachi, take care of Kensei first." Muttered Hirako, "Then I want you to heal the others. The rotund man set out to do just that, having healed Hiyori only moments ago, and she had been sent to get Urahara. The former captain of the Gotei 13 now shunpoed over to where Love lay. He was barely breathing now, and suffering from reaitsu exhaustion.

"You gonna be okay?"

He was concious, and gave his fellow a thumbs up. His glasses were cracked, and the frame itself was horribly bent, but overall, Love seemed to be alright, so long as that ice held him together. "It's a good thing he froze me." He managed, "Otherwise I wouldn't be able to take another nap."

He immediately passed out again.

"Sheesh, ya really overdid it didn't ya Rose?" Sighed Shinji ignoring Ichigo, rather shaking his head at the sight of the destruction. Boulders lay shattered everywhere, Love was being desperately tended to by Hachi, not to mention that fact that Kensei was barely even standing.

Rose _was _probably good for about another five minutes, then the five hour limit for him would be up. Once his mask broke, he'd collapse too, and require immediate medical attention. It was to him that Shinji now strode.

Kensei now stood up, and he didn't look entirely pleased either. However, in sharp contrast to Mashiro, he seemed calm, cool and collected, perfectly focused....

And ready for battle.

Two captains and two lieutenants, against one superpowered, but wounded Visored. This was assuming Hachi joined in on the fight, an unlikely prospect due to his lack of speed, as even in his current state, Ichigo would get him in a second. No, it'd be best for him to stay on the sidelines, and at least try to hold him down with a binding spell.

Though it'd probably take at _least _a level ninety spell to even slow him down.

These odds weren't looking good.

"I...can still fight.... Rose wheezed, trying to rise-

Shinji's hand delivered a sharp blow to the neck, effectively knocking Rose out cold. He slumped to the ground, unconsciousness overtaking him, the mask crumbling off his face. Lastly, his sword returned to its sealed state, indicating that he was completely and utterly exhausted.

"Nah, you and the gang wore him out." Complimented Shinji to his dozing friend, a small smile set upon his face, which abruptly turned to a frown as he observed Ichigo starting to move again. "It shouldn't be much longer now."

They had to get him before he pulled any more tricks. "We'll be the one's to finish this." Kensei and Mashiro appeared behind him, and Shinji donned his own mask, in silent affirmation of what he had just said.

Three against one.

If they all mobbed him, then _maybe_ they'd have a chance.

"Finish it?" Ichigo laughed again, but it was short and curt, as it took too much to do so. Shinji experienced a moment of confusion as Shirayuki was placed in the ryoka's mouth. He bit down on the hilt, keeping it there, then tying and binding his wounds as best he could with the cloth.

Upon doing so, he sheathed her, returning the ice zanpaktou to its sealed state. Shortly afterwards, Ichigo began to emanate more reaitsu, shattering a nearby boulder as red sparks danced around him. He reached down to pull Tensa Zangetsu out of the stone, and the other gripped tightly the hilt of Zabimaru.

He held it up before his face as he spoke. "How... can you finish it when my blade still cries out for battle? How can you hope to win, when I'm not even warmed up yet?!"

He'd reached his limit with Shirayuki, and it was time to change tactics. He still had a few more tricks up his sleeves, and from the looks of it, due to the fact that Shinji and Kensei now looked to be fully healed-

He'd need every last one.

Zabimaru began to pulse red and the sibilant hiss of a snake filled the air. It wasn't so much the sound that unnerved the visored, but rather the spiritual pressure Ichigo was beginning to exude.

However, a pill could not compensate for the fact that he was drop dead tired.

Shinji frowned, and holding up his zanpaktou, he cried:

**"Descend: Bachiatari Jinkun!"**

The hilt split at the middle, exposing a chain that Shinji now wound up his left arm. The guard had taken the shape of a sphinx head, from which sapphire diamonds were inlaid as the eyes. They glowed with an eerie light, and Ichigo forced himself to look away.

Several Jitte like prongs extended from its lower length, but from there the blade remained long and smooth. It was large now, easily half the size of Shinji's own body, and a deep, void black. It appeared to be a broadsword, with a curved tip similair to that of Wabisuke, but curved like a crescent moon, instead of square.

But it was already too late.

In a flash of smoke, Zabimaru coiled about Ichigo, baring its massive fangs in a roar.

"Hihio. Zabimaru." Breathed Ichigo, sweat dripping off his brow. Snapping his wrist about, he swung, and the segmented snake lunged out at the three of them. It was easily dodged, but Ichigo swung it faster, faster, and faster still, until-

"Mashiro don't!" Cried Kensei, as his lieutenant leapt at Ichigo, determined to get inside Ichigo's range. But she did not heed his nor Shinji's cry of warning, instead forging on ahead. She effortlessly dodged around the segements, ignoring the pain as one or two of them cut at her-

Ichigo swung again and again, but she was too light and nimble for Zabimaru to get her. At last, she appeared overhead, ready to deal him the finishing blow!

"HIYAGH!" She screamed coming down like a typhoon in an axe kick!

_'I'm sorry Zabimaru. This may hurt a bit.'_

Something stopped her before she could hear the impact.

She had kicked him with enough force to shatter his skull-

And he had caught her by the leg, his grip digging tightly into the spikes of her ankle. Try as she might, it was now beyond her power to break free of him, as he had her in a death grip. Zabimaru now coiled around them both, barring Kensei and Shinji from entering. Its jaws snapped at them driving the duo back.

By then, he'd had enough time to prepare

**"Not bad. I didn't think I'd have to use this."**

Her hazel eyes widened in horror as his hair began to _grow out_, into what looked to be a mane. "N-Nani?" What was left of his mask started to grow _over_ his face, forming an eerie skull with horns. Red lines crossed over his skin, which now turned chalky white.

**"Lets see how much pain you can take."**

Ignoring the pain in his hand, he willed it to move, and held two fngers up.

**"Hado #90:Kurohitsugi!" (Black coffin!)**


	6. The Return?

**This is mostly a teaser for the next chappy, but PLEASE review!**

Silence.

**_"He's got control of that already?"_**

**"I've been teaching him how to control it."**

--

Kensei felt his heart skip a beat as the black coffin erupted from within the confines of Zabimaru. The kido spell sent the sections of the giant snake flying every which way, but that was not his concern as he dodged them.

No, his gaze was fixated solely on the dark roiling cube before him, and the spikes of black energy sticking out off it. There was no mistaking the spell, he only prayed that Ichigo hadn't had the time or the knowledge to get off a full chant.

If he had, she was as good as-

"Mashiro!"

Shinji looked on in horror as well, for once the coffin collapsed, a horrifying sight met Kensei's eyes.

Ichigo held Mashiro by her leg, but the lieutenant herself was badly cut up, with gashes and holes running down the length of her lower body. Ichigo tossed her to Kensei and when he looked up, Shinji's blood froze.

"Oh kami." Was all he could mutter at the sight of the beast before him.

Ichigo's laugh as cold and chilling, much like the storm that was only just now beginning to _finally_ die down.

**"She'll live, but the two of you are in for a world of _hurt_." **The monster clenched and unclenched his fingers, both of which were now fully healed. He hadn't a single scratch on him, and by some unspoken command, Tensa Zangetsu flew back into his hand.** Unless you tell me about the spell."**

"TEME!"

With a scream that would make Grimmjow sound like a _kitten_, Kensei charged in like a _madman_, swinging his axe like a berserker. He paid no heed to the fact that Zabimaru's joints were now glowing red, nor the fact that its head was _dangerously_ _close_ to him, its jaws wide open-

"Kensei! Behind you!"

But it was far too late now.

**"Hikotsu taihou."**

Zabimaru spat the giant flash of red, and though Kensei's axe blocked, it shattered into thousands of pieces. Deprived of its energy, Zabimaru revereted back to shikai, then sealed itself up.

Though Ichigo was fighting fresh, his overall limit with both Shirayuki and Zabimaru had finally been reached, leaving him with only Zangetsu as his main offensive weapon. By the time Kensei realized this Ichigo was crouched low before him, and delivered swift punch to the gut hit with enough force to knock the wind out of Kensei.

Exactly as planned.

"Thanks for the opening." Sighed Shinji appearing behind Ichigo. "Now I can end this.

The vizard whirled around, just in time to see the prongs on the zanpaktou extend. They grazed his skin, but he leapt back in time, hissing furiously as the crescent blade managed to cut his forearm.

**"End it? The heck're you-Ggh!"**

_This is what I mean. _Replied Shinji.

His voice was now within Ichigo's mind.

_I can read your thoughts now, and now-_

"Bankai."

Yellow irises went wide now as a massive shadow loomed over him.

**"Now, I will put you out of your misery... with your own body."**

**--**

Deafening silence, broken only by the occasional sound of steel clashing against steel. Ichigo's inner torment could be felt even from here, and he was clearly losing his mind to the horrid ability of Shinji.

Zangetsu turned away from image he was watching, a perturbed expression marring his usually stoic face. The light glinted in his sunglasses, turning them opaque.

**"He's losing himself."**

_"Nonsense!" _Cackled Zabimaru, a devilish glint in his eyes. _"We're actually having some fun here! Don't ruin it!"_

_MAKE IT STOP! _He howled.

**_"Zangetsu speaks the truth." _**Sighed Shirayuki, rising from her perch on the tower. **_"I have seen enough of this horrendous curse, and I shall put an end to it right now."_** A thin breath escaped her, and she hugged herself, hands running over her own bare shoulders. She shivered, even though her attire was a simple white sundress. Her cold sapphire eyes gleamed brighter than usual for a second, her long navy blue locks swaying in the wind.

**"Sh." **Instructed Zangetsu when Zabimaru made a move to stop her. **"She won't ruin your precious game, she's merely channeling the spirit of-**

Shirayuki seemed to stare off into space for a moment longer. A small cry escaped her pale lips, and she trembled violently for a second. A voice escaped her lips, and it was not the icy indifferent one she always used. It was softer, smoother and it sounded like: "Kurosaki-kun!" Shirayuki shivered.

**_"Found her. Its weak, but she's definitely- _**She then abruptly collapsed to the ground...

--

"BIND! Murcielago!"

Shinji whirled just in time to see the transformed Ulquiorra hold up a finger.

**"So you're interfering after all...**

"I have no choice." Replied the espada.

The zanpaktouy bounced off his skin, and he rolled his eyes. "That won't work. My hierro is three times the strength it was when I last met one of, visored-brat." His left hand seized Hirako by the collar, and he pressed a finger to Shinji's left arm.

"For some reaon Kurosaki wants you alive, so I won't kill you."

**"What the-**

"Cero Oscuras."

As expected, Shinji swatted the attack aside with his bare hand.

"Impressive." Commended Ulquiorra, a black aura shimmering bout his frame now. To anyone who had ever seen it before, it was obvious what he was about to do. "Now, let me show you true despair...

--

He floated in the abyss of darkness.

Void.

Alone.

A hand touched his face, something long and smooth tickled at his nose.

"Kurosaki-kun!"

"Huh?"

"Open your eyes Kurosaki-kun!"

"Can't....tired...

"Please Kurosaki-kun! Open your eyes, just for a little bit!"

"Sorry...

"Please! Do it for me! Just this once!"

Ichigo forced open his eye, blinking lazily to see who it was that was bugging him. After the haze cleared, he was able to see a concerned pair of steely grey eyes meeting his own. They shone out of a smooth round, easily distinguishable face, one that he knew _very_well. And his own eyes went wide when his mind caught up, the taint of Shinji's zanpaktou suddenly gone.

Her form was ghostly and pale, he could see _right through her-_

But there was no mistaking it.

The spirit smiled softly, and he saw the hairpins.

"I-Inoue?!"

--

Ulquiorra shook his head and held Shinji by the arm.

"Ridiculous. That you should be able to regenerate at such a speed superior to my own." His wings beat at the ground, kicking up a foul wind. He was now in segunda etapa form, and had thusly disarmed Shinji. "Regardless, if you want to get to Kurosaki, you'll have to fight-

His head turned as Ichigo began to move. It came as a slow twitch, then the vizard growled, and began to walk towards them. What he had just seen, solidified his purpose more than ever.

He was _determined _to get his hands on it.

**"Ul-qui-orra."**

"Hai."

**"Hold him still." **Ichigo ground out, walking past the injured Shinji, mane billowing out behind him. **"Do not let him interfere, and if he does, break his arm off."** Slowly, he stalked towards the last remaining member of the visored that was at least combat capable. Hachi was now shaking in his boots as the demon marched towards him, Zangetsu dragging on the ground as he walked.

He was dimly aware of Urahara, Hiyori, and Yoruichi somewhere outside, but he knew they wouldn't be able to get inside this place. He waited until Love's midsection had been restored, before hefting the bulky man up by the collar.

Lisa now staggered down the steps, but fell to her knees as she saw the scene before her.

**"Hachi, I'd like to have a word with you."**

Almost as an afterthought, he pointed Zangetsu to the throat of Mashiro, who was partially healed, yet not fully, and sleeping soundly. Aside from some cuts on her legs, the girl would be alright.

**"Lisa, if either you or Hachi use a single Kido against me, I'll rip out Mashiro's throat, do you understant me?"**

They nodded stiffly.

**"Now tell me the chant."**

**O_o Perhaps Inoue might be alive after all?! Remember, she was human when she died so...well, we'll have to see. And what is this mysterious kido Ichigo is so _obsessed_ over? All will be explained in the next chapter: Flash! The Battles Stunning conclusion and the Vizards' decision!**


	7. True Intentions? The Fateful Reunion!

Ichigo listened intently to every word, his mind soaking up every syllable. As he wrote everything down, commiting the entire chant to memory, Hachi observed a change come upon the monstrous vizard. His yellow eyes widened slightly, his jaw line unset itself, and his shoulders seemed to droop, if only slightly.

He rose, and let Zangetsu rake across the ground, drawing a small display of sparks. When he finally spoke, gone was the hate and malice that had been present less than a second ago.

**"And does it _work_?"**

"Y-Yes, but it requires _massive_ amounts of energy."

**"Done."**

"A released zanpaktou, and another that has been in possession of the one attached to the soul. It has to be a very powerful zanpaktou or the sword will shatter."

CLANG!

A nearby boulder vanished into red light. Ichigo hadn't even moved, all he had done was simply grip the hilt of Zangetsu, then let his spiritual pressure do the rest. All that was left was now a gaping crater in the stone.

**"Done."**

"A pure purpose."

That was obvious. Revenge was as purse a purpose as you could get.

**"Done."**

"And two souls."

_'Simple enough...._

**...Done." **

He finally rose, and bid everyone to get up. His sickly yellow eyes focused on the forms of Kensei and Shinji, both of whom were barely breathing, their life blood slowly pooling beneath them.

Kensei would be fine but Shinji's arm had been ripped clean off, so he needed immediate medical attention. Lisa willed herself not to move, as Ichigo still kept Zangetsu to Mashiro's throat, but the moment he moved the zanpaktou away.

In a blur of motion, her own mask, that of a snake appeared upon her face. She knew her spiritual pressure was be a dead giveaway, as was the furious scream that ripped out of her throat, but at the moment, she wasn't paying attention to Hachi's cry of warning.

**"Why must you persist?"**

Faster than the eye could see, Ichigo dropped Zangetsu.

Lisa cried out in surprise as a hand grabbed her by the throat, and another shoved her in the stomach, knocking all the air out of her lungs. During this time, he forced her into the ground, and tilted his head down, until his horns were less than an inch from her face.

**"I suggest you use this reprieve to heal, not get yourself killed.."** He hissed out at her.**"Yourself, those two, and Hachi, all of you. My words are for the lot of you, and I have no intent to kill now, but it would be such a pain if _you_ were to do something foolish, wouldn't it?"**

The cero already glowed between his horns, and forced her to nod.

Releasing her, he stood.

**"Wise choice."**

Hachi silently tended to the wounds of his comrades, knowing he was no match for either Ichigo or Ulquiorra, even with his bankai released. Against one of them, maybe, but _two_ of them, even _with_ Lisa backing him up? Simply out the question.

As he tended to Shinj and Kensei, Hachi was finally able to get a good read on the spiritual pressures of Ulquiorra and Ichigo. What he found was not pleasant, but that was to be expected. Ichigo was outlined in a blue aura, meaning he was a shinigami, but atop that, was a darkish red aura, meaning he was a visored...

_And something else._

"Alright, don't you think its about time I told you them the reason we came here, Ulquiorra?" He said this last part, looking towards said arrancar, and began to walk away. The espada nodded, and in response, the espada dropped Shinji to the ground, and followed after the strawberry blond. They walked several feet, then stopped alongside each other...

Just in case someone tried something.

"Everyone...

Shinji tensed, expecting the worst-

Ichigo's smile caught him unawares.

"You can lower the barrier now. I've gotten what I wanted."

Hachi slapped his palm against the ground, and the moment he did-

Hiyori came flying down the stairs, bouncing once or twice, before landing flat on her face. Less than an eyeblink later, one very angry Kukaku appeared, walking down the steps in a slow fashion. Hiyori muttered a curse as she tried to get up, but Kukaku already stood over triumphantly, planting her foot squarely upon the blonde's back, and thusly pinning her down.

"That's what you get for pickin' a fight!" Smirked the Shiba princess with a sly grin, blowing steam off her right fist.

"I think you might have overdone it a little in challenging her, Hiyori-san." Urahara's voice rang from behind Ichigo, who suppressed a small chill at the knowledge that he still wasn't able to read Kisuke's movements, even at his current state.

Silently taking note that Hiyori was badly burned he could now assumed that Kukaku's bankai was a fire type. Perfect, in his mind, for he'd never fought against a fire type zanpaktou before, with the exception of Amagai.

With a breath, he released his arrancar form, but in doing so slumped to his knees. Sweat beaded from his brown as the red lines dissapeared back into his mask, and the chalky skin regained it natural tan. The horns melted back into his his helmet, which now became a regular visored mask.

The only annoying part was the fact that his hair was still unnaturally long, and running down his back. Briefly, he considered chopping the long locks off, but hesitated.

_'Maybe I'd better keep it. Its a hassle constantly cutting my hair.'_

"Yari yari, looks like you overdid it." Sighed Yoruichi, appearing from nowhere to catch Ichigo by the arm and shoulder before he could collapss completely. A cloud of mist swirled about indicating that she had just transformed from her cat form.

His eyes slid to the left, and almost immediately, his face turned cherry red. The only sound that could be heard was that of his mask splintering into bone fragments, and then dissolving completely.

She reached down to tug at his hair.

"Not bad, this rather suits you-

For a moment, nothing happened, then the reaction was quite predictable.

"Gah!" Ichigo cried, recoiling violently, more in surprise than anything. He slapped both hands over his eyes, sprang back, and _jerked_ his gaze away as if he had been burned. He desperately attempted to hide the blush and cover his eyes at the same time, but failed miserably in doing so. "Yoruichi-san, get some _clothes_ on!"

"Oh? Is something wrong?" The neko woman replied lazily, her eyes glinting with mischievousness, whilst she crossed both arms over her ample chest. "You've seen me like this before, so why are you still so flustered?"

"That's enough outta you." Siged Kukaku, tossing her childhood friend a towel, which the bronze woman now wrapped around her voluptuos form. "You really shouldn't be teasing him."

--

Urahara was now talking something over with Shinji, and paused only to chuckle at their antics, before resuming his chat. Casually, he cooled himself with his fan, as if they were discussing something as simple as the weather.

Not a matter of life and death.

"See? Kurosaki-san's perfectly sane. He only wanted the spell, and when you attacked him like that-

A simple shrug, even though Ichigo's massacre certainly hadn't been anything to sneeze at. Quite the contrary, if Hachi had given him the kido and all the information regarding this most forbidden of spells...

Then who knew what Ichigo might have done?

"Doesn't change the fact that I almost had to use bankai on him." Grumbled Shinji, well aware of Ulquiorra standing right next to him. In his segunda etapa form, he had summarily dismantled Shinji's defense, whilst a single strike to the face had ended the fight in his favor.

He didn't want to know if Ichigo was stronger, but something told him he was. Had Kensei not given him that opening, he'd never have been able to even land that hit.

"Rest assured, Kurosaki does not intend to kill you." Ulquiorra abruptly spoke, irritating the former captain further. _'Oh sure, like I'm going to believe an arrancar..._

"Said the hollow to the shinigami." Grumbled Shinji.

"Excuse me? I don't understand your meaning, Hirako." Ulquiorra had a perplexed expression on his face, as if he were genuinely confused, his frown deepening, ever so slightly.

Shinji sweatdropped.

"Don't you get it? That was a joke."

"I do not understand jokes."

--

Kukaku helped Ichigo to his feet. She had taken the white sash out of her hair, and was using it to bind Ichigo's wrist tightly. Yoruichi noted with small smile how Ichigo sucked back in a thin tendril of blood from his nose, when Kukaku accidentally brushed her head up against his own, an entirely uneccersary gesture.

"My my, aren't we possesive." Teased the Goddess of FLash.

Kukaku did blush lightly once the words reached her ears, but neither did she make any move to deny it. Her hold on Ichigo did not slacken, even though he felt her go slightly tense.

"Erm, Kukaku-san-

"Shaddap." She mumbled under her breath.

"Just wanted to say your hair looks... kinda nice without the ribbon." He mumbled, looking away. It was impossible to miss the way he had said that, the tone, it was all blatantly obvious-

Not to mention the priceless look Kukaku now wore.

"H-Hey! You trying to hit on me again?"

Yoruichi arched an eyebrow, stifling a laugh as Ichigo insisted that he was just stating his opinion, and that there was nothing wrong with it._'Oh, he's good. He may not know it, but that was incredibly smooth.' _She was unable to keep quiet when a flustered Kukaku told Ichigo just where he could _put_ his opinion.

"Stop laughing!" She snapped, releasing Ichigo to scowl darkly at Yoruichi, who was unable to restrain her mirth any longer.

"Kurosaki."

He turned to Ulquiorra striding towards him, as the two argued.

"I suggest we perform the spell elsewhere before we inform your friends of our intentions."

Ichigo blinked for a second, then slapped himself in the face.

"Got a point there."

Ulquiorra opened a garganta, and Ichigo spun to face all the confused onlookers. "Well, I have some business to take care of, so I'll leave you with my assistant to make sure you all stay put.

A small figure stepped through the abyss.

Everyone took in her appearance.

She was short, really short, possibly around the 4"10 mark.

Like most arrancar, she wore a white hakama with a black sash. Her shirt stopped halfway down her stomach and the sleeves started on the side of her shoulder and went down to her wrists. A piece of clothe extended like a glove and covered the middle finger of each hand. On the top of her left arm, the top of a number _three_ was visible. Her face was slightly covered by dark red hair that went to the middle of her back. Underneath it were two blank eyes; they had no pupils, though the sclera were still white, her irses were nothing but solid dark violet.

A small hook that had two lines that went to the middle of her cheek protruded from them onto her face. They were purple on both sides. No one could see her hollow hole but the mask was two long and two thin spikes sticking out from the left side of her head.

"Ah, Saita-chan. Perfect timing." Commended Ichigo in a cheery manner.

She put her hands in her pockets, looked up at him.

"What is it?"

"Please keep an eye on them."

"Sure." She replied in a bored tone, but it held some small lust within it as she looked over at the shinigami, obviosuly sizing up their power, and looking for the strongest amongst them. "Can I play with them?"

"No." His tone grew harsh. "They are my friends, and I _forbid it."_

She bowed to him, tone reverent.

"As you wish, master."

"Good." He commended, patting her on the head, ignoring the fact that she clearly disliked such an action, judging by the pouty scowl she wore. A knowing smirk traced his face, and he set one foot inside the throatlike hole, looking back once again. "I will return shortly."

"I will do as you command and keep him here."

"As I expected you to." He replied with a small smirk, stepping through-

"HEY!" Kensei, now fully healed, moved to go after him-

A hand rocked his skull, as Saita delivered simple slap to the face. What should have been a simple pinprick to him was now anything but, and catapaulted him backwards.

"Ichigo-sama said stay put." Saita spoke calmly, but the way her hand now rested on the hilt of her blade warned him a

--

(Hueco Muendo)

He marched into the room with an evil glint in his eyes.

He valued all of his arrancar allies, except these two.

"Loly, Menoly, I have need of you."

A look of fear was in their eyes, for they could see the malice in his own. "You should be grateful, actually," He mused, as if he were talking to himself. "It took me awhile, but I've decided that in death, you'll finally be of some use to me, worthless though you are as living beings." For a moment, they considered running-

Then-

He stepped aside to reveal Ulquiorra, and all hope escaped them.

"Do it."

Blood splattered the wall before they could even scream, and then it was over.

--

"Tatsuki."

"Eep!" She squeaked, blushing as Ichigo appeared before in a silent swish of movement. He was wearing his mask, but still, his visage was dangerously close to her face-

Then the embarassment turned to anger as his gaze fell fully upon her. "You were training with Grimmjow again." Currently, her white Shihakushō was torn at the legs, exposing them from the knees down her white hakama which she wore underneath, was soaked with sweat, and she felt absolutely filthy right now.

"So what if I was?!"

"He broke your arm last time."

"Well he didn't this time!"

Annoyed, he grabbed her by the arm.

"C'mon. I have something to show you."

--

Unceremoniously, the bodies were dropped down onto the sands.

Tatsuki shivered a bit at the explanations.

"That's just nasty. But why do I have to watch

For a moment they stared, then spun around, backs to the other.

"You don't have to do this."

"Nonsense. Of course I want to see it." Replied Tatsuki. "I just wanna know what 'it' is!"

A small smirk from the former.

"Then who am I to argue?"

They took ten long steps to seperate them.

Ichigo was used to pain when transforming, and thus did not react when Zangetsu slid into his thigh, the blood spraying out in a crimson shower. Withoug even flinching, he pulled it out, jamming its tip into the soil, taking no heed to the crimson puddle pooling before his feet.

Ulquiorra ripped off his left arm, and black blood pooled at his own feet. As his arm regenerated, he bent down to draw a circle around himself. However, he did not close it, but left a portion of it open.

Ichigo traced his foot across the crimson, making a circle around himself. He too left a portion of it open, and now, the bloody circles glowed white. A thin line of crystal light extended from each circle connecting them.

Tatsuki stepped into the line of light, and it basked her in its golden glow. The light split from her, and traveled to where the still breathing bodies of Loly and Menoly lay.

As Hachi had mentioned, two souls were required for this technique. One was required to draw in the said soul, and another required to bind it into physical form.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't neccesarily _kill_ the arrancar being used as transfer points, but it might teach them a well deserved lesson. As well as strip them of their pride and prejudice.

A tendril of dread soon coiled to a knot of raw anticipation in Ichigo's gut. This kido was mighty, but once it was completed, it could only be used once in a lifetime, for the user at least.

To use it after completing the kido...

It would mean certain death for all those involved in the spell.

Knowing full well that this was a deadly risk, Ichigo took a deep breath, and began the incantation.

_"Ye lord! Mask of bone and sinew, all creation abides, flutter of silent wings, ye who bears the name of Man! In the abyss of conflagration, waiting at the far heavens, I call thine name!"_

Ulquiorra now took up the chant, holding both hands out in what looked to be a shrug. A column of black transparent light shot up from his circle, then a pillar of white from Ichigo's, from which they could still be seen. Now, they began exchanging incantations, with Ichigo beginning:

_In my right hand, I hold the stone that connects the borders of worlds. In my left hand, I hold the blade that binds existence. A bank of clouds comes, striking the gate, ripping it open!"_

_"Heart of the south!"_

_"Eye of the north!"_

_"Finger of the west!"_

_"Foot of the east!"_

_"Arrive with the wind and depart with the rain!"_

Both lights pierced the heavens now, drawing clouds inward, creating a roiling mass of heat and moisture. An ominous rumbling sound was heard, then the very sky itself was torn asunder, literally creating a hole in the air. The rippling void was similair to a garganta, but beyond its black abyss, white light shone.

_"Sprinkled on the bones of the living, renew the oath!"_

_"Sharp tower, pierce the heavens, draw forth the ring!"_

_"Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm."_

_"The sound of the maiden's tears fills this void." _Tatsuki, who had remained silent thus far, uttered this, the last line, clasping both hands over her chest. _"And brings a second coming of the sacred battle."_ Ironically, her doe brown eyes _were _swimming with tears, but she blinked them away, let them stream down her face and cried:

"Bakudo# 100: Keikatsu Kio!" She declared this, Tatsuki did, and the circle in which Loly and Menoly lay was abruptly consumed in a bolt of pure black of lighting!

"Now!" Commanded Ichigo, and Ulquiorra flexed his wrist, summoning a Lanza del Relámpago, which he now clutched in his hand. His arm drew back, made ready to throw it at the void.

However, he suddenly frowned, when the hole started to close.

"Its not enough."

"What?!"

"We don't have enough." He repeated.

His eyes widened slightly, catching Ulquiorra's meaning. They, the two most powerful beings in Las Noches...

Did not have enough reaitsu.

He had to cut it of before it failed!

Immediately, he stepped out of the circle, as did Ulquiorra. Acting on instinct, the former espada pulled the motionless forms of Menoly and Loly out of the circle, whilst Ichigo sheltered Tatsuki with his own body.

But the spell was unstable, due to the sudden withdrawal of power.

Meaning it was gonna blow at any second.

And an explosion smote the ground asunder!

All that remained was a crater.

Ichigo rolled off an unconcious Tatsuki, sporting no more than a scorch mark on his back. He'd transformed at the last instant, as had Ulquiorra was perfectly alright, due to his own released form.

But the crater was a forlorn sight.

If they didn't have enough energy, then that meant this spell would never work.

_'If only we had more-_

Unless...

The obvious idea hit him upside the head with such force that his face split into a wide grin.

"I have an idea."

--

(Lab)

"Szayel, "if Nel was transformed into a child because her mask was cracked open, then would it be possible to change her back?"

"Hmm?"

As Ichigo told him this, it was made quite clear as to where the vizard was going with this. If Ichigo was right then the shrinking of the spiritual body would cause a drastic dip, no, not just a dip, but rather a _plummet_ in power. So it was feasible that she could be powerful enough in her adult form to have more, or at least equal reaitsu to the current espada.

He steepled his fingers beneath his chin. "Truly a fascinating idea, but it depends. It may or may not be possible, if it was just the _physical act_ of the mask breaking then all you'd have to do is fix the mask, if the reiatsu was leaking out then you'd have to 'inflate' her with reiatsu, but if it was something deeper then it may not be possible."

"She did transform back temporarily before," Ichigo said absently while thinking.

"If she transformed back then we just need to inflate her," spoke Szayel still contemplating of how this could work.

"Perfect, how do we do that?" questioned Ichigo.

"All you'd have to do is find an opening to, for a lack of a better word, shove tons of reiatsu into her." He replied, peering at the monitor for her life signs. "The best place to do this would obviously be the crack in her mask."

"Got it," commented Ichigo while walking over to Nel, who was still sleeping on the table.

Las Noches didn't exactly have a medical ward, rather, not one for the lower ranking arrancar. If you were anything _less_ than an espada you lived or died, without little cosequence.

It was another thing he'd have to add to this place.

Szayel laughed triumphantly, having just thought of a major solution to this insurmountable problem, "Aha! All we would need is a massive combination of shinigami _and_ hollow reiatsu to have a chance of making this work!"

"So…" said Ichigo oblivious, in the eyes of the others, to the obvious problem. Maybe he wasn't oblivious to the problem, maybe the obvious problem, wasn't a problem.

"So? We don't have enough hollow reiatsu,"

"Oh really?" replied Ichigo with a small smirk, and Szayel's intuition told him something was amiss.

"It'll work. My reiatsu is quite similar to an arrancar's," said Ichigo quietly as he walked over to Nel, and placed one hand over her mask. The action caused her to stir a bit...

Her eyes opened.

Nel glanced up at Ichigo with weary eyes, "Itsygo...

"It's alright, I'm gonna fix your mask," replied Ichigo in tender big-brother tone.

Nel didn't reply instead looked to him and asked incredulously. "You could really fix my mask?"

"Of course, he answered," Features began to shift and change, until he'd assumed his natural arrancar form. Hazel eyes widened in fear, but his voice came out calming and cool, whilst warm energy began to pulse from his bare palm. "

Relax."

For a few moments the mask was unresponsive to the healing and Ichigo was going to attempt and try a different method...

But then it started to bubble at the crest of the crack. Nel looked up at her mask crossed eyed trying, but not succeeding, in seeing the crack. The oozing liquid filled down the crack slowly, closing the fissure in her mask as it went. Ichigo stopped when the bubbling white fluid started to get close to the end of the break leaving just enough room for two fingers to fit inside, somewhat.

Ichigo stepped up to Nel and explained to her what he was about to do. He didn't mention exactly _why_, since she didn't have any memory of her time as an adult, even the short time when she fought Nnoitra on Ichigo's behalf. Nel just nodded and agreed to it. Ichigo then took his middle and index fingers and lightly jammed them into the remaining part of the crack.

"Nel, I want you to think of something, anything besides this. A pleasant memory, a good feeling, anything." Before she could ask why, he then started to pump his own reiatsu into her.

The action itself felt like a thousand icy needles pricking her skin, then hitting the bone. It was as if someone had taken a drill to her head, and was boring deep into her skull.

At that moment, it was all she could do not to scream.

"Hey how much reiatsu should I put in her?" he asked over his shoulder.

Szyayel sighed, "Just keep going until she transforms back."

"Alright," replied Ichigo. "Oh yeah, could you find some clothes for her."

Szayel snaped his fingers, and an arrancar appeared.

"Why?" It asked, when Ichigo repeated the request.

"Hmm I think it's because a small robe that barely fits a child will fit just perfectly on a fully grown adult. And if you dare to ask me why again, I'll kill you on the spot. Do you understand?" The arrancar, one of the more disobedient ones, paled, replied with a reluctant 'Fine' and then sonidoed off.

--

When Szayel finally woke up, having fallen asleep from waiting for so long, he arrived at conciousness to find that in a medium sized sphere around Ichigo and Nel. The spiritual was utterly crushing, the concentration of reiatsu was so high that everything inside looked like it was under water. Even those on the upper levels could feel this.

Before long, those who could at least tolerate the energy had assembled. Agro watched silently, his tan face set into a grim line, his blue eyes reflecting calm coll aloofness. Ying and Yang had come as well, and though each had a look of concern on their face, they seemed to be holding up well enough, Grimmjow was breathing with some difficulty, and Nnoitra, whose right arm was currently in a sling, had an expression of pure _hate_ plastered all over his face.

He probably would have tried something, had not Ulquiorra been standing right next to him.

Silently, Ulquiorra made a note to inform Ichigo on just who had orchestrated Neliel's _abscence. _Had Aizen allowed him to at the time, he would've thrashed Nnoitra and Szayel, but by the time he realized they were the culprits, it was far too late.

Ichigo now let out a sigh of weariness. This was taxing, not just mentally, and physically, but _especially_ by his own reiatsu. When Ulquiorra entered the room, he came back he saw the sphere and arched an eyebrow. Somehow, he remained unaffected by the energy, and watched quietly, whilst Szayel could barely even _stand_.

Finally, just when he thought himself to be drained of every drop of spiritual energy, Ichigo felt Nel start to hum with power, she let out a high pitched drone, then suddenly without warning a large pink explosion was loosed from her form!

The resulting shockwave knocked everyone, save Ichigo, back ten or so feet. Ichigo went twenty five, and through the wall. As the dust settled a lone female silhouette started to form. When the figure was revealed, it was adult Nel in a tattered two-piece. She scanned the figures calmly, mentally flagging each individual as friend, foe, or unknown.

Her gaze then fell on Ichigo buried head first in rubble up to his waist, leaving his legs above the sand. Nel sonidoed over to where Ichigo was then pulled him out of the debirs.

As Nel flew by she was so fast that even Ulquiorra lost track of her until she stopped by Ichigo pulling him out of the rocks. Grimmjow and Nnoitra didn't even see her move.

He blinked up at her for a second, and she stared down at him with the same loving expression he had seen only two weeks ago.

"ICHIGO!"

Nel then proceeded to hug the life out of said strawberry, while rapidly apologizing for blowing him into a wall, and for worrying him so much.. Everyone sweat dropped at the seemingly mature and stoic arrancar's present behavior.

"GAH!" He cried, as she nearly broke his bones.

Someone even went as far as to say "Eh…"

Neliel was back.


	8. The Right to Rule

When Neliel had finally released him, she changed into the clothes she had been given. Shrugging them on in the privacy of a vacant room, she now returned in her usual arrancar garb, which she had worn until Nnoitra attacked her.

"I'd like to have a word with you." She did not leave this as a question.

He nodded.

"Fine."

"But we'll discuss this elsewhere," Nel suddenly decided, taking him by the arm, and pulling him into a small booth adjacent from the arrancar. It was large enough to hold two people, yet was sparsely decorated with transparent glass, and two chairs. It must've been soundproofed, as he could see the lips of Nnoitra moving, but no sound came out.

"Well, of course, you wouldn't think of yourself as a force of evil, either." she explained mildly, crossing her legs and looking away. "Just as we think of ourselves as not bad, but good."

"I guess it makes sense." he grumbled, wondering just how Nel could be so calm in such a time. She had just been healed, just returned to adulthood, and she seemed so, _so smart._

"Ichigo, let me try to explain this to you. If the shinigami kill off every last hollow, the balance will break. The balance between good and evil that must exist will be gone, and for good to exist, there must be evil, correct?" she tapped her finger on her knee absently, seeming to forget that she was garbed in little more than rags. "The same applies for us."

"So what happens when this balance breaks?" He shook the dirt and dust of himself, a look of casual disinterest set upon his face. "Then there's a whole lotta good, or a whole lotta evil, right?"

"No." she turned her head to the side, glancing at the others. Agro, who eyed her warily, yet seemed bored. Ying and Yang, whose emerald eyes burned with fierce curiosity. Ulquiorra, who inclined his head in a gesture of respect. Szayel, who averted his gaze with a miserable expression that made her feel sorta sorry for him. Grimmjow, who looked like he was _hating_ every second of just standing around here-

And Nnoitra, whose fury words alone could not be described.

"Why'd he bring her-

Anything else he might've said was silenced by a glare from Ichigo.

Nel took a seat, and began to speak.

"It isn't going to work."

"What?"

"For the world to continue, the balance must be kept. There must be good, and there must be evil. Certainly not extremes, such as what has happened in this circumstance, but something lesser. They cannot kill off all of the hollows, and neither can you kill of all shinigami. There must be a reason for us and them to exist, don't you think?" she asked softly.

"Huh? I don't quite get it. Where are you going with this?"

She sighed softly, her chest sinking with the exhalation. "It has not been established who is good, and who is evil. Neither side can prevail, this battle is pointless. There is no reason for them to fight, for they are simply trying to prove who is stronger--the Soul Society, or Hueco Mundo. The only thing that is at stake here are the innocent lives of the people of your town.

"Saving the world from having Aizen Sosuke as King of Soul Society is merely a guise for them to showcase just how strong they think they have become. If they make fools of themselves, he gets the key. If they prevail, Aizen will surely find another way to create the Ouken." she hunched forward. "You know, now is not the time to be discussing such things."

"You've got a point." He said this with a small smirk. "But you're wrong about _one_ thing."

"Oh?"

"Perhaps you haven't heard, but Aizen's dead."

"Excuse me?"

"I killed him, can't you tell?"

Two and two came together, and her virdian eyes narrowed into slits.

"Sit. You have a lot of explaining to do, and may be here for quite a while." Neliel patted the chair beside her, and with a sigh, Ichigo sat beside her. "I am not letting you leave until I hear the full story."

"Aren't the others going to wonder where we are, Nel?" This was not a threat, but she could easily see he was trying to avoid the subject. What exactly had happpened? How long had she been out for? And what was going on?

"Let them. If they are really that curious, they'll join us." Neliel reasoned, and he shrugged.

"Fine...

--

"Oh, Ichigo." She whispered sadly when he finished his story. "You did kill him after all... Tears shone in her hazel eyes, then dripped down her cheeks to lightly pitter-patter upon the floor. Her tone wavered but slightly. "But for all of your friends to be-She bit her lip to prevent the word dead from sneaking out-That's so sad."

"So do you get it now?" He scratched the back of his head, rising from the chair. "That's why I want payback-

"Revenge is for the weak-minded, Ichigo." Her mood and tone shifted abruptly, as did her posture, which although it appeared more loose and laib back, her tone spoke of the icy demeanor she now hid. "Remember that. Don't let it consume you, or you'll be nothing more than a wild beast."

"What're you saying?!"

She tapped her chin. "I am not saying, in any way, that you are weak. Quite the opposite, indeed. It was you who helped me, and protected me, and I really must thank you for that." she smiled gently, then sighed again, her face falling.

"Thought you already did." He grumbled.

"I failed to finish what I began. It's--nothing that needs to be spoken of right now though, so long as you remember what I've told you." she paused, uncrossed her legs, and rose. "Come, we should join the others."

With that, the discussion was closed.

--

"Everyone, I'm sure you remember Neliel?" Ichigo was quite calm as he spoke. The new arrancar looked at Neliel with some mild interest, the current espada just looked at her with aloofness, aside from Nnoitra, who was of course, furious. Ichigo took note of this, and made a silent note to have Nnoitra Jiruga _eliminated_, once they found a suitable replacement for him.

"My dear arrancar, she will be rejoining us for the duration of this war and beyond. She is an ally, and not an enemy, so I trust it none of you bear her any-

His gaze leveled itself on Nnoitra.

-Ill will?"

A moment of silence, then the shuffling of feet alerted them to someone stepping forward. The individual nudged aside those who were in his way, until he stood before the newly revived espada.

Agro extended his hand.

"Agro Sekora." His gravelly voice came out, his chiseled features set into a solid grim line, his blue eyes unusually sharp and deadly for once. "Pleased to meet you."

Neliel rewarded him with a soft smile, taking the hand to shake.

"As am I."

Ying and Yang stepped forward, introducing themselves.

"Well, aren't you two adorable?" Neliel laughed softly. They blushed under her kind gaze, unable to meet the kind eyes of the young woman whom they were close in age to, but did not quite look it.

"This way." Ichigo stated, leading them into the throne room.

Gin and Kaname were already there when they arrived.

"Gin, Kaname, if you will?"

Tousen slid a switch into the wall on screen, and the hologram now the floor, a large blackboard rose, and Ichimaru acquired a pointer to highlight the images on screen.

Everyone took a seat, but the table was longer, and seemed to have ten extra seats now, for some reason.

"Tomorrow You will all fight to determine your ranks, as espada." Declared Ichigo, and the air seemed thin all of a sudden. "The ranking system will be much different this time. Not only will you have to fight each other, but you'll have to work together if you even hope to survive. Each rank will consist of three rounds. First, a basic one on one battle with each other, from which I will determine the teams-

_'Teams?' _Thought everyone in surprise.

"Then the second round will consist of a team fight. You will each be randomly paired up with someone. Regardless of your own personal opinion, that someone is your teammate, and you are forbidden to harm them. The third round is a surprise, and I'll save it for later.

Ying and Yang seemed quite enamored with this idea, but almost everyone else was frowning.

"What about that little redhead slut?" Asked Nnoitra, hating this already.

Ichigo flared his reaitsu to an eigth of its true power and flattened Nnoitra to the ground. The others noted it was solely focused on the former fifth espada, not affecting anyone else in the least.

"She is an exception." He spoke over the static in the air. "She has already proven her power to me, is rewarded the rank of tercera espada and will therefore by on my team."

In truth, she'd been given that rank because she'd _asked_ for it. On a whim of fancy, he'd given it to her, the first arrancar he had actually created with the Hogyoku. When asked why she wanted the number, she'd simply replied she liked odd numbers, and three was a cute number.

It was an exciting prospect, to see who was the strongest of the arrancar he was still creating. He expected to at least finish 26th- 50th tonight, and that way, there'd be even more competitors for tomorrow.

"EH?!"

"Gin and Kaname will participate was well. If you can survive the horrors we have waiting for you, then you will be deemed worthy as arrancar." He now held up a hand, gesturing to them all. "No longer will I give you ranks based on strength alone. You will be judged for your skills as well as many other factors, not only by myself, but my new allies, who will also arrive tomorrow."

He let the words hang into the air, gathering weight before he finally spoke again. "And to those who cannot survive these trials, know this...you will be left behind, and not given the slightest of thought."

An evil glint reflected in his eyes as he rose from his chair.

"Don't dissapoint me."

--

Saita yawned lazily as reclined on the stairway. A disinterested expression tilted her mouth down into a perpetual frown, whilst she rested her head in her hands Her eyes remained slightly closed as she tried to think of something interesting to do besides killing.

Needless to say, she was unsuccesful.

"This is boring, what's taking him so long?"

"Ah, so you're an espada are you?"

"Go away before I smack you." She sighed, really in no mood for the goofy man's antics. Her left hand strayed to the violet hilt of her zanpaktou, clearly making proof of her threat.

"Ya-re ya-re, my apologies." Urahara replied in a sing-song voice, tilting his hat down ever so slightly. "Its just that every arrancar is so _unique_," His eyes now seemed to glint with something other than casual curiosity, "I've become rather perplexed by it."

"You aren't going to shut up, are you?" This came out as more of a reply to herself, rather than Kisuke. "If I give you an explanation regarding our appearances, then will you leave me be?"

--

Tatsuki was still sleeping, much to Ichigo's dismay.

"Uwah...now what?"

Ulquiorra shifted the weight of Loly and Menoly's bodies on his shoulder.

"We could wake her up-

Neliel glared fiercely at Ulquiorra and shook her head rapidly. The motion caused her teal hair to fly this way and that, seemingly dancing across her fierce hazel eyes.

"No you won't! Let her rest!"

"But-

"No buts!"

"Ichigo-sama, please permit me to keep an eye on her while you are out." Szayel gave a low bow as he spoke, for he sensed that the vizard was losing his temper. "I offer you the utmost assurances that no harm shall befall her."

"Very well, Szayel. I leave her in your capable hands."

--

(Hueco Muendo, outside the dome.)

"Ichigo?"

"Hmm?" He stopped staring out into the wasteland when Neliel tapped him on the shoulder. His eyes had a faraway look for a moment, but soon regained their natural tenacity and spark of life. In his right hand was the Hogyoku, and he absent mindedly rolled it between his fingers. Over his back was slung a satchel, though he refused to divulge its contents.

"We'l have company soon." He whispered to himself.

The preparations had just been made complete, when _they_ felt it.

A massive reiatsu was headed their way, and fast.

A static blur exploded the sands.

Neliel frowned, and Ulquiorra remained stoic.

"Vasto lorde," Smirked Ichigo. "I am so glad to finally meet you face to face.

The figure stood, and it was eerily alike that of a...

Well, he didn't know what the heck it was!

Long dark hair spilled out behind a mask, a mask which resembled a traditional samurai helmet. It was slightly chipped at one end, as if the hollow had tried to remove the mask, from which soft, violet red eyes did shine. Similair to Saita's the eyes also had no pupils. Its body was slim, much like Nnoitra's, but it wasn't neccesarily lanky, though its skin was an odd black color. The hollow hole was slightly below the sternum, and surprisingly, wasn't really that big.

**_"Not bad." _**Came the hiss of a voice, and it was recognized as female, though it was difficult to tell with the strange bone-like armor the hollow wore. **_"I didn't expect to be found out this quickly."_**

"And what brings a vasto lorde to my doorstep?" Asked Ichigo, stepping before everyone.

**_"I seek to do battle with you, shinigami slayer." _**She replied cooly.

"Shinigami slayer? I haven't been called that before."

**_"It is what others of my kind call you." _**The unamed being shrugged her slim shoulders lightly, as if the matter didn't concern her.**_ "They say you are the one who slays the shinigami, promising peace and prosperity for the entire hollow race, so long as they follow your commands." _**Now, she shook her head, eyes narrowing.**_ "However, I do not believe your intentions are as sincere as you say. Therefore, I have come to challenge you."_**

A hand was raised, then he made a shooing gesture.

"I'm flattered, but as you can see, I'm busy right now-

A slit of blood appeared on his cheek.

The spines retracted back into her hand, still dripping blood.

**_"I did not ask for your permission. We will fight, Kurosaki. Whether you want to do it here or not, whether you want to endanger the lives of your subordinates, is entirely up to you."_**

"Persistent, aren't you."

**_"It is how I have survived thus far."_**

"What's your name?"

**_"Jacqli Miraz."_**

Zangetsu flew out of its cloth wrapping, blocking the pointed strike of her hand.

**_"Don't hold back, Kurosaki." _**She warned, but by then, he was already behind her.

"Then I will show you the true form of my zanpaktou."

His eyes glinted and he smirked.

"Bankai."

**_IF YOU HAVEN'T PLAYED AR TONELICO 2 THEN YA PROBABLY DON'T KNOW WHO JACQLI IS...._**


	9. Let the Games Begin

Jacqli had gotten in severely over her head once he released the second form. She'd batted him around like a rag doll whilst he used bankai, but that had just been a feint to draw out his true power.

His robes were in tatters, with nothing but his left sleeve remaining of his upper half, and the lower half of his Shihakusho was badly shredded as well. **(It looks like it did when he fought Ulquiorra the second time.)**

When he'd finally decided to get serious, she'd been overwhelmed. Both by the ferocity of his attacks, and the fact that he'd taken her down barehanded.

He now had her pinned to the sand by one hand. His left leg was intertwined in her own, and Zangetsu was thrust into her right palm, pinning her down. His horns hand pierced her shoulders, through flesh and bone, holding her fast.

That hideous skull helmet curved upward in a grin. His voice, his own, yet now his own, as if he were speaking underwater, rose from behind the demon mask, whilst his golden eyes glared into her light reddish violet.

**_"Are you satisfied, Jacqli? Or must I further demonstrate my strength?"_**

She shook her head.

"No....I am satisfied."

**_"Good." _**He reached into the satchel still slung over his shoulder. **_"Now, I would like to offer you something."_**

When the Hogyoku was held up before her face, Jacqli looked skeptical, but that was only because he could see her eyes behind the mas. Actually, he couldn't tell _what_ kind of expression she was wearing right now.

"You...want me as a servant?" This came out as a venomous hiss. "Like Saita?"

"Saita?"

"My sister."

"Ah, that makes sense. Though she certainly is more sociable then you."

"Excuse me?"

He shook his head, and the mask faded away to reveal his face. "Nothing... As his features became human, he leaned back a bit, though he was now pinning her solely by the shoulders.

"Look, I don't want have any servants. I prefer the allies, comrades and... the last part came out as a strangled whisper, and she could barely make out the sole solitary word.

"Friends."

"Oh, aren't you the smooth talker."

"I meant every word. Servants...aren't people you can be close to."

"Hmph. Then use it on me already." She replied.

"Very well."

He lowered to her mask.

"This'll hurt-

POOF!

When the smoke cleared, Ichigo had what looked like a young girl pinned to the ground. Her hair was long and jet black, the only thing covering her A cup breasts. In fact, the long locks seemed to shimmer with sweat, and upon rising, it was revealed-

A strange red symbol in her hair, which upon closer inspection was actually _part_ of her hair.

Her face was smooth and slender, and her eyes remained the same of course. Her skin was a soft and smooth creamy white, yet the mask remnants were a _strange_mix. They were three segments, alike to Sun-Sun's, but like the fragment in Grimmjow's released form, which was centered over his head, they actually molded against her skin, not _quite_ covering it, but preventing the bangs from falling over her eyes.

Oddly enough, she didn't have a hollow hole.

"Do you mind getting off of me?" She said after a moment of uncomfortable silence. "I'm going to catch cold."

"Oh!" He sprang off her immediately, but helped her up from the sands nonetheless. Although he tried to look away, her petite body was quite a sight...

Blushing, he dismissed the thought and tossed her some clothes from the bag.

"Here. Pick whatever you like."

She selected an outfit similar to what Neliel wore, but frowned as donned the outfit. "Ugh, this won't do at all." Immediately, she uttered a name in spanish-

"Aletear: Mariposa."

Ichigo had a brief image of a shortsword with a curved Z for a guard and a yellow hilt-

Then a small set of claws appeared on the digits of her left and right hands, tipping the fingers in hooked elegance with gleaming silvery metal. With a quick slashing motion. and ripped the sleeves off. The cuffs of her hakama soon followed, ripped up just above the knees.

It gave her more of a fierce, yet regal look now.

"What? Surprised I didn't release?" She asked when she received odd looks from everyone. Her claws returned to normal, revealing the zanpaktou seen earlier. With a quick darting movement, the vasto lorde snatched her soul cutter out of the air, and jammed it into her black sash for safekeeping.

"Well...yeah."

"I can, but I just prefer the shinigami adaptation of shikai."

"You...can use bankai?" Ulquiorra was the one to speak now. As always, his hands were in his pockets, but a look of intense curiosity could be seen in his eerie green eyes.

"I didn't think a hollow could do such a thing." Murmured Neliel.

"Of course we can." Replied Jacqli, stretching her new body, and performing a series of kicks. "It just depends on who you were in the past life. Me, I used to be Kirio Hikifune, shinigami, captain of the twelfth division and assigned to the royal guard. That's why I can use shikai and bankai." A trace of bitterness reflected in her eyes, and she looked like she wanted to say more, but must've decided against it. "But like I said, I prefer this form to my release-

"Hold it, _royal _guard?" Ichigo had heard something about that from his father, just before the shinigami took them all hostage. Up until now, he hadn't given it much thought, but now-

"What is the royal guard?"

Jacqli scowled. "Supposedly, they're the shinigami that guard the king of Soul Society-

_'Aha! I knew it!'_

"But in reality, its a terrible fate." Her tone became ominous as she spoke. " They guard the king sure enough, but the King drains their power to increase his own, thus living forever. By doing this, eating their very essence of reishi, he eats away at their minds as well-

She shivered lightly.

"Until you're nothing but a dry husk that cannot think for itself, but moves about like a zombie, taking orders from 'His majesty'. By the time you realize you've lost your identity, it's usually too late, and you're bound to his service."

She sighed briefly.

"I realized it a bit earlier than most, and I ended up getting killed during my escape attempt. I was attached to my former subordinate, so I stayed on as a hollow, and eventually became a vasto lorde.

"Do you know Isshin Kurosaki?" The words blurted out of his mouth before he could stop them. Now they were out in the air, and how he wished he could take them back!

"Isshin...She mumbled to herself...."You're his kid, right? Yeah, he used to be captain of the...eleventh...? He left the royal guard about a few hundred years after I did...Lost his powers for it... I think..."

"You think?!"

Jacqli glared at him.

"Hey, that was a long time ago, you can't expect me to remember _all_ of that about your pops."

"Then you know a way into the King's realm?" Ulquiorra asked this, as Ichigo's mind was whirling with thoughts and ideas, but most of all, the realization that this fiasco had started right when his dad had turned down the chance to go back to the soul society-

"Shouldn't we be performing this spell of yours first?" Her cynicism seemed endless, as did her cruelty, for she seemed to _love_ annoying him, judging by how she interrupted him _again_.

"How did you know about-

"Stupid gaki, I used to be a captain. I could smell that kido a mile away."

"So you'll help us?" Ichigo was the one to be sarcastic now.

"Maybe. You need about four people with high reaitsu to perform this spell anyways."

Ichigo exchanged a glance with Ulquiorra.

"How do you know this?"

"Youth...So full of questions," Jacqli sighed to herself shaking her head, but relenting after a moment of silence. "I created it of course. Why wouldn't I know my own spell?

"Then could you help us now, Jacqli-san?" Neliel asked politely.

She shook her head.

"Nope. I want to participate in the rankings tomorrow first. Then I'll help you."

--

Ichigo stepped out of the portal and everyone looked up.

"Saita, its time to go."

She yawned and stood up.

"So, what're we doing with them?" Another arrancar came out of the garganta behind him. He had short silvery hair a calm demeanor, and his mask fragment lined the edge of his mouth. He wore the standard uniform, but had it customized with silver lines running across the arms in a crisscross pattern, and ending in gloves.

Ichigo looked over them all for a second.

"Knock them out, Shun. All of the vizard."

He turned to the third arrancar that had accompanied him. "Agro, then take them to the holding cells."

His assistant adjusted the rimmed spectacles he wore, as everyone began to move.

"Very well then."

He drew his zanpaktou partway from its sheathe.

"Clamar: Guinchar!"

A flash of white, and then an earsplitting noise."

By the time the ruckus had ceased, the vizard were all out cold, and Agro had them slung over his shoulders, as if they were feather weights.

"Kukaku-san, please come with me." Asked Ichigo, extending a hand to her.

She nodded and followed after him into the garganta.

Urahara looked to be quite confused.

"I suppose Yoruichi-san and I will return to the shop-

Ichigo shot him a deadly look.

"Do what you will, but remember, your either _with me or against me."_

Then he was gone.

Urahara sighed.

"What have we done?"

--

(Las Noches)

"I want you to take a fraccion."

"EH?!" Grimmjow all but hissed. "I'm not gonna-

"Ecchi! Get those thoughts out of your head!" Snapped Tatsuki with such fury force that Grimmjow actually winced, and even then, he went reeling back and forth as she smacked him hard across the head. "He didn't mean it like that!"

Grimmjow spat a curse at her, but now regarded Ichigo with a glare, for to attack her meant certain death.

The fact that this Kukaku person was now chuckling didn't help him much either.

"And what's in it for me?"

"How about a fight everyday?" Responded Ichigo with a small smirk.

"And?"

"And a means to fight on par with Ulquiorra."

At this, Grimmjow stiffened.

"If this is a joke, I'll rip your throat out."

Ichigo gave a small smile.

_'As if you could.'_

But what he really said was more along the lines of:

"I'll try to remember that."

--

Less than five minutes after entering the room, Grimmjow came out with a fraccion. She was a slight girl, with tan skin and green eyes. Her hair was in a spiky hairstyle, and was pink of all colors. She was short, but not quite as short as Saita, about around the 5'2 mark. Her mask fragment ironically took the shape of a small tiara on her head.

"There. Happy now?" Snarled Grimmjow, casting an eye down to the girl.

She had a meek and humble air about her, but as Ichigo noted with amusement, her reaitsu was up there. It had to be at least the level of Grimmjow's current state, and that was saying something.

Probably why Grimmjow chose her.

At the sight of Ichigo, she blushed and looked down, taking a step back to hide behind Grimmjow. The espada started and gave her a glare, under which she came back out from behind him.

"What is your name?" He asked, careful not to spook her.

"Sophita." She mumbled.

Ichigo chuckled and patted her on the head. She gave a small squeak of surprise, but did not recoil from his touch. "Well then Sophita, don't be too scared of him." After all, he just one big pussy cat." Laughed Neliel at Grimmjow's expression.

--

Ichigo stepped out into the light, and was greeted by the sound of cheering. Before him now lay an endless wasteland, yet built into the side of the dome was an area of seats, specifically designed to watch the upcoming event.

His right arm was wrapped in bandages, a result of using the Hogyoku nonstop last night.

"My fellow arrancar! Tell me, what is you all desire!"

Roars of various things went up, but they all related to the death of the shinigami that plagued them so. And when they had each shouted themselves hoarse, he raised a hand for silence.

"I see, I am glad that we share the same goal....

Everyone went silent as fifty of the higher ranking numeros came out of the entryway beyond Ichigo. Each one had been created from an adjuchas, but like Jacqli, their were some vasto lorde amongst them, if you counted Ulquiorra and Nel.

That was three vasto lorde thus far.

"I give you the elite! They will determine your future! Remember, than any one of you may someday rise to join them! Nothing is impossible for us! We are the future of this world!"

He declared the first match.

"Grimmjow Jaggerjack shall fight Nnoitra Jiruga...

When the two combatants had emerged from the crowed, Ichigo added the crowd pleaser part.

-TO THE DEATH!"

In a blur he was gone, the sand whipping up from his movements.

Then was behind the blond, grinning deviously, scythe hefted high!

"I'll be the one kickin' _your_ass this time, Nnoitra!"

Time seemed to slow as Grimmjow turned, and switched his hold on the zanpaktou to a reverse grip. All the while the scythe descended down upon him...

Blood sprayed into the air, as a blue light covered everything.

The two sprang back, one unharmed, the other bearing a wound, but more to his pride than anything.

Drip.

Drip.

Drip.

The crimson stain leaked from Grimmjow's hand to Pantera's silvery tip, forming a small puddle in the arid sands.

Nnoitra cast a look over his shoulder.

His voice came out in a harsh laugh. His hair, which retained its smooth look despite the sweat that glistened in it, blew in a slight breeze, somehow adding weight to his words.

"What was that about being cut?"

It was only a slice across the cheek, but still, it was enough to fling Grimmjow into the most unholiest of rages.

"Its just a cut! You're still going down!"

"Talk is cheap!" He all but hissed seizing the chain of his scythe ax. With incredible speed, he began to twirl it about, creating a torrential twister of sand. "We'll _fight_ to see who the strongest is, and the person that wins is right!"

Grimmjow's eyes glinted.

"Fine be me!"

Nnoitra snarled in kind, and again leaped towards him, his weapon flashing through the air.

"Shaddap! You're pissing me off!"

The two blades met in a clash of sparks and a thunderous clang, and the dance of swordplay began. Nnoitra kept up a savage offense, often nearly striking in two places at once. However, Grimmjow seemed to have trouble keeping up. The edge on his blade caught Nnoitra's scythe with some difficulty, though his blows seemed to almost jump off the larger blade.

"Interesting zanpaktou." Nnoitra commented while attempting an upward slash to Grimmjow's face, yet was denied when the espada swerved away at the last second. "Never seen anything like it before."

Grimmjow narrowly blocked the slash, sent Nnoitra's blade wide to the right, and slashed across his left shoulder, drawing sparks, yet not cutting him. "Che, who cares?!" he replied, dancing back from the return slash. "At least mines' better than overgrown axe a' yours!"

Then, suddenly, Grimmjow ducked under his guard, caught the downswing of an attack with his off-hand-

And slashed Nnoitra across his torso. The scythe was _much _heavier than it looked, and it bit deeper into his hand than he had expected, but blood gushed from Nnoitra in a copious, unnaturally-colored ooze, so he figured it was a fair trade-off.

Jumping back to avoid the overhand strike, Grimmjow had the smug tone back in his voice. He stood up to clean his blade on the sands with a steely rasp.

"Heh, well whaddya know? Looks like I _can_ cut ya."

Nnoitra's mouth worked silently for a moment.

Gone was the slightly playful or demeaning attitude the arrancar had previously.

Now fire burned in his eyes and a sneer formed on his mouth. "I'm just getting started! I'll show ya what its really like to fight an real Espada you stupid piece of-!" The bloodlust aura raged outward, making deep, bloody gashes seem to appear across Grimmjow's lower body for a split-second, and the Arrancar's spirit pressure heightened.

He stood, rigid in anticipation for the true fight about to commence.

Nnoitra threw his blade upwards and slashed across his chest.

Grimmjow neatly sidestepped it with a minute sonido and rained blurring blows upon the Arrancar. Slowly at first, but with growing precision, Nnoitra blocked them all, and returned a few blows of his own, in turn blocked. The two warriors began to test upward and upward the limits of their power, and it was a terrible sight to behold. Every miss destroyed a pillar, every blocked hit made a crater, every score drew splashes of blood.

Even rooted to the spot by fear, It was all the spectators could do to remain in their seats.

This was a battle that mere hollows such as themselves simply could not comprehend.

Grimmjow nearly laughed in delight at the incredible battle before him. His blade felt as if it were a hundred pounds lighter than it had ever been before, but he realized that this was its true weight He felt as if he was using only his own power to fight, and _that_ was how it should be.

Unfortunately for the former fifth espada, Nnoitra soon reached a plateau in his power. After awhile his speed and power finally stopped increasing: he had reached its limit.

Grimmjow Jaggerjack did not. He kept rising in power, an implacable force of destruction. Nnoitra became more and more desperate in its evasions and attacks, and multiple wounds scarred the Hollow armor as streams of red ichor ran from them.

Finally, hitting his peak, Grimmjow slit his thumb, held a hand out, and yelled, **_"GRANY REY CERO!" _**as the cerulean light crackled in his left palm, he gripped the hilt of his zanpaktou in his right hand, and brought the blade down in a massive, over handed blow. Nnoitra raised his scythe to block it-

And fell for the feint.

The upper half of his axe scythe shattered into metal fragments as the espada's cero plowed into him, cutting through the steel like a hot knife to butter, both combatants were then consumed them both in a mushroom cloud of fire and smoke.

The blade carved cleanly through Nnoitra's left arm and the sand below, causing more gravel to spray out and drench the area even more. The Arrancar writhed in pain and screamed a terrible curse. He eyed the stump of his arm and the blood spraying from it, and then looked at Grimmjow.

This was not a look of fear though, oh no.

The only thing on the Arrancar's face was a pure, all-consuming _rage_.

"How….DARE YOU!" He screamed, the voice now high and piercing, overlaid with almost supersonic tones of fury.

Grimmjow shrugged, "I'm just stronger than you, that's all. All warriors live to fight and eventually get killed by someone stronger. It's how all true warriors live their lives every day. Just accept it, Nnoitra."

Nnoitra staggered to his feet.

"NEVER!"

A pale yellow light began to flicker around him.

"I'LL NEVER LOSE TO YOU!"

"Too bad."Stated Grimmjow coldly, preparing the finishing blow.

Nnoitra's chuckle became a sinister laugh, as his aura became a blindingly bright sapphron.

His mouth suddenly opened, and a massive cero spat forth! It was so unexpected, so sudden, that it forced Grimmjow back a pace, even though he completely nullified it via blocking the horrid yellow light with his zanpaktou.

By the time the dust had cleared, the glow was blindingly bright, and Nnoitra had risen to his feet. With a swing of his arm, he held his zanpaktou into the sky. It too was soon illuminated in the deadly golden brilliance.

"HA! I'll show you something special! My true power!"

Cerulean eyes tripled as the energy became like a fountain, reaitsu pouring out of Nnoitra like a busted water main.

Such power...

This could only be-

Not wasting a second, Grimmjow sprang!

But he was too late.

Just as he appeared before Nnoitra in a sonido, the espada spoke the last words, even as Grimmjow descended upon him.

"INORI: SATNTA TERESA!"

Everything went white and the sheer amount of reaitsu exuded forced Grimmjow back several steps. Nearly blinded in the light, he threw up an arm to block the it out, as the sand was blown all about in a geyser.

All the while Nnoitra laughed, but his mirth died away a second or so into his burst of power. The chilling sensation of his reaitsu steadily growing left the panther ill at ease.

The fact that he couldn't see a damned thing didn't help him much either.

It was quiet suddenly.

Too quiet.

_'I...don't like this..._

Realizing he was vulnerable at this point, he decided to fall back-

And that saved his life.

"Grimmjow-sama!"

The scream echoed in his ears.

For mere seconds after his feet pushed off the ground, just an eye-blink after he moved an inch or so back-

Two wicked scythes cut through the smoke!

They raked across the air where he had been but a moment ago, swerving in a left to right arc as if to cut him in two separate halves.

As it was, had he been stationary for but another second...

Well, lets just say the results would have been MOST unpleasant.

The dust blew away with a foul wind, revealing Nnoitra Jiruga.

Transformed.

He had gained an extra set of arms which took on an insectoid appearance, each arm gaining a large scythe-like weapon as well. The weapons were large and hooked indicating they could definitely used by him to both defend and then rapidly attack his opponent.

These weapons had "grown" out of the folds of his wrists. Nnoitra had also obtained a pair of horns on and through his head, the left horn longer than the right, resembling a crescent moon. His hollow mask changed also, becoming torn and featuring jagged teeth, the eyepatch having shredded away under the effects of his transformation.

And to make matters even worse...

All of the previous wounds inflicted upon Nnoitra Jiruga were simply...

Gone.

Even the wicked vertical slash dealt across his chest, the one that had nearly cleaved him in two, and ripped open his jacket...

It had simply stitched itself shut, leaving only the faintest remnant of a scar.

A wicked smile completed his sinister appearance, his quartet of scythes glinting in the light of Hueco Muendo.

"Surprised?" He drawled, as everyone stared at him in a twisted mixture of shock and horror. "You shouldn't be, unless _you're_ the one who's scared. You've never seen me like this before, have ya?"

Grimmjow tsked and readied Pantera before himself.

"Quit flappin yer gums and get over here!"

Blue eyes widened as Nnoitra suddenly blurred behind him, ready to strike!

-You can't beat me!"

Pantera was barely brought around in time to block, sparks flew through the air!

Grimmjow dug his feet into the ground, gritting his teeth as just by blocking the attack, he slid back a foot or so.

_'They're...heavy!'_

Nnoitra's strength had increased tenfold, and now _he_was the one pressing the advantage. The power of the four scythes bent Grimmjow over backwards, and he strained to maintain his balance.

At the last second he rolled away, then came up from below.

Sparks ran through the air time and time again, as they danced about the sands in the moonlight. But for all his speed, there was one thing Grimmjow was _unable_ to do.

It was simply _impossible_ to stop four blades at once.

Therefore he was getting cut up quite badly.

Nnoitra's foul laugh rang through the air as he struck, blossoming a gash along the the knee.

Grimmjow cursed as swiped for the face.

The strike was fast, but Nnoitra blocked it with one arm, and struck with the other three, carving Grimmjow up the chest.

The tide had turned.

"Ahahaha! How's that Grimmjow?! This is how it feels to be totally outmatched!"

Nel winced as the sand exploded, indicating he had been hit again.

"Why won't he release?"

They blurred about like ghosts, but it was clear to see that Grimmjow was tiring.

"This is bad." Tsked Szayel.

"Then do something!" This came from Ying and Yang.

Jacqli shook her head. "Wait. I don't think he's quite done yet-

Grimmjow had managed to get upright by now, and push Nnoitra back a pace. Straining himself, he drew further on the power that was his, and blocked the slashes thrown at him. Kicking up sand with one foot, he blinded Jiruga for a second, and placed one hand upon the flat of his blade.

"Grind! PANTERA!"

From the cloud of sand he then pounced!

The impact of his bladed tackle momentarily force Nnoitra back, as he now crossed his scythes over in an x to hold back the blade. Grimmjow had him, and they both knew it.

He had only to strike.

Pain suddenly exploded in his gut, and he vomited blood.

Another arm had impaled him!

Nnoitra sneered evilly.

"Thought that was it, huh?"

Everyone watched as a scythe blossomed from his wrist.

"Now die!"

Sophita's eyes went wide as the limb exploded through his back.

"No."

He sagged, as a sixth arm hit him there was well.

"No."

Tears began to well up in her eyes.

She shook her head to clear them, but to no avail.

"No,no,no,no,no,no....

A flurry of gashes blossomed on Grimmjow's chest and arms.

She began to tremble.

Grimmjow was heaved across the sands, and into a pillar.

"NO!"

Breaking free of Nel's grip, she charged!

"Idiot! Get back here!" Cried Agro, seizing her by the collar.

"Let go!" Shrieked Sophi, thrashing in his grip, even as he hefted her up by the collar.

"Enough, gaki. This is his fight."

--

Nnoitra briefly paused from his massacre to look back at the podium.

"Look's like that bitch is cheerin' for ya.

He grinned lecherously.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of her after you die-

Grimmjow came up from behind, and grabbed him in a bear hug. Before Nnoitra could just lacerate him, the panther's tail coiled around his neck in a chokehold. Using what little energy he had left, Grimmjow flipped himself over, slamming Nnoitra into the sands headfirst, then getting into a crouch.

"Nnoitra! You're fighting me!" Snarled Grimmjow as he picked himself up.

Nnoitra opened his mouth again.

And a cero launched forth!

Steadying himself, Grimmjow caught the cero in his palm-

And responded in kind.

His crushed it in his palm, then _heaved it _back.

Nnoitra split the blast with a scythe, allowing the halves to pass harmlessly by on either side.

But his eye tripled as he saw the blue light explode from Grimmjow's mouth.

Only for a moment he was stunned.

Then he negated the blast with one of his own, smoke spraying everywhere....

By the time it had cleared, he had the panther pinned under his boot.

"It's over!"

Grimmjow pointed one elbow up at him.

"Big mistake."

Nnoitra howled, reeling back, clutching at his face as the dartas pierced his nose and such.

Grimmjow rolled away, bit his thumb, and brought both palms forward.

Much to his dismay, Nnoitra did not slow. The cero only blew away the left sleeve on his arm, leaving nothing but the tiniest of scratches in its wake. Undeterred, Nnoitra instead continued his charge, heedless of the continuous blasts, which had no effect on him at all.

"Pathetic!"

With the last foot or so separating them, he poured on one last burst of speed…

Then his scythe was ramming hard into the Grimmjows' side. It came with such blinding speed, that the panther couldn't hope to form any semblance of defense with his Pantera.

The impact ripped a trio of bloddy gashes across his side, and the air itself came out of his lungs as he fell to the ground. Just like that, one simple direct hit, and he was already down for the count?

Nnoitra took great pleasure in kicking Grimmjow again, knocking him down while he was stunned. Pinning his boot upon the wound he had inflicted, he reveled in grinding his boot in with every stomp, yet was denied the ecstasy of Grimmjow's pained cries.

Throughout this all, he wore a look of pure hate in those eyes, and refused to give his opponent the satisfaction of crying out. But the arrancar never let up for a second, and this was really starting to hurt.

"Hurt's don't it?! This is what you get for playin' with me!"

After several minutes of this, Nnoitra grew bored, especially when his target was too weak to resist.

"Say ya prayers-

Laughter, unfamiliar, pleasant this time, oddly soothing, was heard.

**So, you finally understand then…**

In his mind's eye, the scythe seemed to slow, until it hung less than an inch before his face, the colors of the night fading to grays.

A pair of hands cupped his face, yellow irises met blue.

**Face to face at last, eh partner? **It chuckled.

He found himself looking up at a pale version of himself, but one noticeable factor was…

She was female.

**Will you yield to me yet? **It asked, oddly patient, despite his gobsmacked expression, at the gender swap, as well as her well endowed frame.

"What-

The ghost smirked, flicking his nose in the process, as she got down on her haunches. **Did you _really_ think I'd look like you? Fraid' not buddy. I'm my own person, _and_ quite frankly, you're pretty damn ugly for a guy.**

She looked up at Nnoitra's scythe, which seemed to be moving minutely downward, despite the effects of the time slow.

**I suggest you accept my help, that is, unless you _want _to die here.**

The smile that grew on her face was as much eerie as it was scary, and her eyes danced with manic glee, even her tone betrayed her almost beastial excitement.

**Now enough chit-chat! Are we gonna kick his ass or what? **

Grimmjow uttered a curse under his breath.

"You got a name... woman?"

**Pantera. That'll do I guess**. She shrugged half-heartedly, tracing his bleeding palms with her fingertips, leaving pale lines in the wake of her touch.

Those lines leapt upon his mangled chest, and replaced flesh with bone, until it could be healed. The wounds themselves magically stitched themselves shut, as if they had never existed.

That being done, she once again cupped his face in her hands, and then bringing her face closer to his…

**We're the same person, Grimmjow. Your pain is my pain.**

He shivered slightly, as she pulled away, already beginning to fade.

**Your loss is my loss. Your love… is mine in return. Remember that partner…**

His heart started beating, faster, faster…

**Now, I'll lend you my power. Show me what you can do with it, and don't disappoint me....**

Then she was gone.

"Grimmjow-sama! Please get up! Kick his ass, blow his head off, rip him to pieces! Just don't die! PLEASE!"

The voice of his fraccion pierced the silence, and his pupils dilated.

_"I'm..._

By now, the beating of his heart was a drum in his ears. It was a terrible sound drowning everything else out in its terrible pounding roar!

_"I'm...._

His fingertips clawed at the sand, digging at the grains again and again. As he pulled at the hardened terrain, his fingernails created miniature skid marks; until more gravel slid down to cover them. A low rumble worked its way up from his chest.

Gradually…

The muted silence changed.

It turned to laughter; he felt the darkness within resonate in his very soul.

It was soft at first, but this mirth was _anything_ but pleasant.

With the union of light and dark, he felt…

Complete.

It was as if he had been a puzzle missing that last crucial piece, and it had just now fallen into place. His body surged with untold power, and right now, he felt like a god.

He just felt…

Whole.

As if there had been a missing piece to his puzzle all this time, and it had finally been found, and put in place.

Time started again, and he caught the scythe in one hand.

Dark watery distorted mirth mixed with the his own genuinely _sarcastic_ laugh.

_"I'm the strongest!"_

His eyes snapped open, the irises were still their natural blue, yet the white sclera had been replaced with black. It was if he was an entirely different person when he spoke.

**_"'I'm finished?' That's _****my_line Nnoitra Jiruga!"_**

The air around him shimmered with sinister power and try as he might; the espada could _not_force his zanpaktou down further, not even the slightest centimeter, though his muscles strained and bulged, he was unable to do so.

You could tell it by the contorted look he wore.

"What the-damnit, just _die_!"

"No thanks," Smirked Grimmjow, lashing out in a kick to Nnoitra's gut, the motion catapulting him yards across the sands.

"Nnoitra... I've got a score to settle with you!"

His teeth parted, lips pulling back so far that he felt them split. Bearing his teeth and half an inch of his pink gums gave more weight to his bold declaration of a moment ago. His whole body grew taut as one muscle, arms out, fingers locked into rigid claws, which now clacked together like the gnashing of teeth, emitting an ear shattering screech as he raked them across one another.

"C'mon then! You said you were gonna bring it, so why're ya standin' there?" When no reply was forthcoming, Grimmjow pressed his advantage. "You're stronger than me, right? Then why haven't ya killde me? It should be easy.... His grin grew even wider. "Unless.... you're _scared_of me, Nnoitra?"

That was the final straw, and everyone knew it.

"Shaddap!"

He opened his mouth, and almost immediately, the audience cheered in eager anticipation, anxious to finally see some more blood. A golden glow began to emanate from the tip of his tongue, but Grimmjow just remained where he was, even as the ground began to shake.

"EAT IT!" Howled Nnoitra!

Grimmjow held his ground, refusing to move a muscle, even as his form was basked in the pallid glow. Finally, just as it was about to consume him, he started his counter. He drew in a breath now, let the oxygen expand and rush up to his lungs, buoyed by the intense spiritual energy-

And then returned fire.

He made a horrific noise just then. His mouth still open wide, the back of his throat cinched tightly closed. A breath, forcing its way out, with a long and shuddering hiss. It was a eerie mix of nails raking across a chalk board, and the death rattle of a dying animal-

And it was powerful.

The wall of the sound slammed into the cero, rebounding the saffron light back from whence it came. Eye going wide, Nnoitra narrowly escaped incineration at the hands of his own cero, rolling away just in time. Yet he did not escape without some loss, losing the spoon collar of his hood in the process.

Another scream came his way, and that was just a precursor to the five dartas that slammed into his back. Scowling, he swung two of his four scythes around, but Grimmjow caught just those two on his left arm blade.

He repeated the same action with his right arm, when Nnoitra brought around his remaining weapons. Not giving Nnoitra a chance to use his other arms, Grimmjow opened his mouth.

"I'll show you, _my_ power...

The noise coiled into the air, coiling around Nnoitra's shuddering frame like snake. Ths hiss still lingered in the air like the echoes of a long awaited shout, still reverberating in his ears.

Shun arched an eyebrow.

"My my, I had no idea you taught him _that_."

"I didn't." Replied Ichigo. "He learned it on his own."

"Ah."

Two whispered words from Grimmjow now struck fear into Nnoitra's heart.

"Segunda...Etapa.

And then the cero engulfed him as he transformed.

**Note: If you want to know who Sophita is, watch Casshern Sins.**


	10. Games Prt 1

**Note: Agh! I meant to say that Jacqli is the former captain of the twelfth division before Urahara took her place. I changed the name in the previous chapter, so sorry for the confusion, cuz i fixed it now!**

Tatsuki threw up a hand to shield her face as sand sprayed everywhere. Even from their seats, they felt the full force of the reaitsu, and it would've be nearly suffocating, if not for the barrier held up.

"What the?!"

For the sake of his 'savior' image amongst the hollows, Ichigo was unable to take her up with the arrancar, for fear of looking weak. As such, they were on a slightly higher pavilion, positioned above where Ichigo and his elites stood.

"Whoa!" Whistled Kukkaku, grinning wildly as the wind whipped at her hair, giving her an almost fierce look, bellying her excited tone as she now shouted into the gale. "This is too much! I can't imagine what it's like over there!"

"Worse than it is here, of this I am sure." Replied the single arrancar who held the shield in place for her. He was a slim fellow with long red hair tied back in a ponytail, and a very serene face, which was now set in a grim line, twisting the X like scar on his right cheek slightly.

He was arrancar fifty one.

Kenshin Himura.

He'd been assigned as Tatsuki's personal escort, bodyguard, and the one who broke up every catfight she got into, whenever Ichigo was away, something that happened quite often nowadays. Ever since this spell or whatever it was, had failed, Ichigo had been all silent and broody, just like when his mother had died, and was always away on 'business'.

Such a change of mood unnerved Tatsuki, but not as much as the sudden appearance of the one called Kukkaku Shiba. No, when she'd first met the infamous fireworks expert, it'd been a simple trip to the showers after sparring, nothing unsual about that. She'd barely even taken notice of the new faces around here, and as such ignored the woman altogether...

Until she'd said: "Oh, so you're this Tatsuki person."

It'd been when she was brazen enough to _wink_ at Ichigo (The poor sap had poked his head in when she'd shouted at the busty woman for calling her a person and not a girl) _and_ after he received a major nosebleed at seeing the former naked, asked him if he liked what he saw. She herself had covered herself up with a towel the moment he'd come to see what was wrong-

But when Kukkaku _winked_ at Ichigo, who'd been struck speechless at the sight of her nude-

Well, lets just say the gloves were _so_ off now.

Granted, she didn't have any feelings of romance for Ichigo...

She just didn't want to see him with a woman as...as forward as Kukkaku!

**(Music precipice of defeat)**

Less than a second after Grimmjow declared his new release, a wall of blue light slammed into Nnoitra in the form of a supersonic howl! The espada was immediately flung out of the smoke bearing several burns about his arms, but the true sign of his fear was the startled look in his eyes.

"W-What'd you say?!"

Grimmjow smirked through the cloud of smoke, for only the lower half of his face, namely his mouth, was now revealed. "Did I stutter?" Sparks danced about the blackish blue twister, which was just now beginning to fade.

Ulquiorra smirked, lightly, but to everyone else, it was the slightest twitch of his lips. Ichigo however, was smiling, and it was a wide toothy grin as he looked down upon the former chaos of the stadium, which had long since gone silent, awed by Grimmjow's ferocious display.

"To achieve it through sheer willpower...

"Not bad." Mumbled Jacqli.

"Positively savage." Chuckled Szayel, flipping a strand of hair away from his face. His golden eyes gleamed with amusement as he noted the stunned expression Nnoitra wore. The odds were fifty fifty by this point, and until they saw just what the brute had transformed himself into, this fight could go either way. "It seems I'll have a research subject either way today."

"I'm glad." Neliel suddenly spoke, disrupting the conversation.

She received several odd looks.

"Glad?" Voiced the twins as one.

"About Grimmjow?" Agro asked simply, never taking his eyes off the arena. He had never been one for mincing words, and getting directly to the heart of the matter was so much simpler than all this idle chit-chat everyone seemed to enjoy.

The former tercera nodded.

"Grimmjow's fighting for something other than himself this time."

"So you've noticed it." Ichigo mumbled.

When everyone besides Agro and Ulquiorra gave them more perplexed looks, with the former simply remaining silent to hear what she had to say, the teal haired beauty elaborated upon her previous statement.

"When Nnoitra turned his attention to Grimmjow's fraccion, _Grimmjow_ attacked him, seemingly losing his calm in the proccess, but drawing Nnoitra's attention back to himself and away from her. When Nnoitra taunted Grimmjow's fraccion, _Grimmjow_ became furious at the concept of her death, something he would not have cared about before."

Her gaze fell to Sophita, who was watching the bout intently. The next words came softly and quietly, and only the espada themselves were able to make out what was said.

"Can't you see it? Despite what has been said, Grimmjow actually cares quite a bit about this girl."

"How touching." Quipped Jacqli from her perch on the nearby pillar, a soft smile playing across her seemingly delicate features, which in reality were anything but, as was she. " A savage animal, and a tenderly naive girl. It reminds me of Beauty and the Beast."

Sophita had ceased her struggles by this point, and was looking on silently, still held aloft by Agro. A mix of fear and trepidation was evident in her eyes, which still swam with angry tears.

"If I let you go, will you stay put?" Agro rumbled.

Sophita nodded fervently.

"Hai!"

Agro dropped her a second later.

Not surprisingly she scrambled over to the platform, proving that she'd lied to them, and even now, was moving with surprising speed, even _without_ sonido. Ichigo received several odd looks, but remained silent, even as she braced both hands on the steel guard-rail. For a moment, it looked as if she was going to rush to the aid of her master-

"Matei!" Grimmjow bellowed from below, and she froze where she was. "Stay right there gaki!"

A massive reaitsu erupted from the smoke, bellying his previous words, and spraying sand about in a massive twister, further disguising the new form everyone wanted so badly to see. "Don't come an inch closer." It came out as a barely recognizeable growl, but his words traveled far nonetheless. "I can't control this body that well yet."

Though it was close in terms of power, the reaitsu everyone felt wasn't _quite_ that of Ulquiorra's segunda etapa. Ulquiorra's spiritual pressure was more tempered and refined, due to his mastery of the last release but it, this, was...

"So if you come down here, you'll only get in my way!"

Everyone expected her to ignore his words and do so anyway. However, Sophita did _not_ vault over the railing, instead remaining where she stood, fixated on the emerging form that was her master. "Grimmjow-sama... He walked out of the sandstorm his transformation, _he_, had created, transformed and empowered, radiating dark energy with a bluish tint to it.

Her hands gripped the railing with enough force to make it bend and twist beneath his fingers. She bit her lip until a thin trickle of blood leaked down her chin, and her eyes shut tight in consternation.

"G-Grimmjow-sama...please...don't die....

It was insane!

The fog parted, to reveal his new transformation.

"This is my second release!"

"Th-The hell did you do?!" Sputtered Nnoitra!

And what a transformation it was.

"Azul Pantera." **(Blue panther king)**

The silvery elbow blades had now taken the full length of his arms, yet ended just before the shoulders, gleamed in the bright light of the artificial sun. Bluish green eyes narrowed against black sclera, revealing the jagged markings that ran from the corners of his eyes, down to the square of his jaw, the mouth now parting to expose sharp fangs, perhaps slightly longer than before.

The steely color of his first release had now been replaced with black, and white lines in place of the black lines of before. with a more streamlined appearance, and a more overblown collar, which still exposed his chest. However, his mask fragment remained white, and extended slightly down now, halting just above his ears, and then curving towards the back of his head in a spiky pattern.

His wild mane of blue hair was now tinged with haphazard streaks of green, and just as long as it had been before. Like the beast he was, Grimmjow now abandoned standing on two legs, instead choosing to crouch down upon the sands. His pawed feet dug into the ground, claws clenching and unclenching as he felt the gravel between his fingertips, tasted the scent of blood, his own and Nnoitra's in the air, and upon the earth.

Tail thrashing behind him, he drew back slightly, as if he were a spring, and coiling his body, to prepare himself for a mighty leap. In preparation for this imminent attack, Nnoitra slowly began to spin the two scythes on his lower arms, faster, then faster, creating a rotary shield capable of shearing through flesh and bone as if it were butter.

For a moment neither moved from that position.

"PLEASE DON'T DIE!" Sophita all but screamed!

Eyes narrowing to slits, Grimmjow laughed.

"A' course not!"

A bead of sweat dripped from Nnoitra's brow, hung on his chin for a moment, as if deciding whether to fall or remain where it lay. Tension was thick throughout the air, as the two stared down their enemy.

The drop of sweat fell.

**(Music breakthrough even/hollowed)**

And it began!

Nnoitra looked on in surprise as the espada leapt at him. The stupidity of his opponent surprised him, and for a second, he was unable to react from sheer shock.

It was suicide, just charging in like that! That was the worst possible thing to do!

"Dumbass!" He cackled, getting ahold of himself, simultaneously bringing in all of his arms from every possible angle! Faster than the wind itself, they descended upon him! "Guess you wanna die again!"

However, before the quartet of scythes could shred him to bits, the panther smirked, and jumped back with a burst of sonido. With a curse, Nnoitra realized he'd been fooled, but even so, with the amount of oomph he'd put into what was supposed to be a killing blow, he was unable to fully stop his swings, and in trying doing so, momentarily tangled Santa Teresa up in itself.

The crescent edges tangled up in each other, with two sticking in the sand, and the other four each stuck in the groove of its twin. Sparks flew as they ground against each other, clearly not meant for this purpose or position.

Grimmjow sprang forward in that moment, landing on the poles of the foremost left and right scythe. Flexing his hands, the blades on his arms changed position, now sliding forward into deadly edges, which hummed like a chainsaw . In less than a second, they were positioned upon his wrists, yet still pointing down at a very surprised Nnoitra.

"Eat it!"

Pantera dug deep into the flesh of his right collarbone, tearing sinew and muscle assunder, one of the few critical hits of that fight. Blood sprayed forth like a crimson fountain, and Grimmjow sneered evilly as he prepared the followup blow. "Not so tough without your weapons, eh?!" The blades slid back onto his arms, and it was with his claws that he now gripped tight the wound with his left hand, steadying himself-

However, before he could rip him a new one, Nnoitra spat a cero at Grimmjow. He'd expected the attack to come so suddenly that it forced the panther to either jump away, or take it head on-

The last thing he'd expected Grimmjow to do was fire his own cero point blank! Again, blue met yellow, cancelling the other out. Yet through the cloud of smoke, Grimmjow was now nowhere to be seen.

Consternation showed through on Nnoitra's face as he sought to free his zanpaktou, knowing that for every second he wasted, it was another instant in which he was wide open.

_'Kuso kuso kuso!_

This was the opportunity Grimmjow had been waiting for.

A static blue suddenly kicked out from behind, heaving Nnoitra into the air, and out of the smokescreen. Grimmjow shot past, barely visible to the naked eye, let alone Nnoitra. His leap carried him above Nnoitra and his impressive weaponry, and then sent him spiraling into the air. It was clear what he was about to do, but Nnoitra hadn't quite caught on yet-

For Grimmjow was already behind him.

"Desgarion!"

And by then, it was too late.

**Yup, Nnoitra got OWNED! Or did he?**


	11. Games Prt 2

**Sorry if its short! The next chapter will be much longer! I promise!**

Nnoitra's shredded body now fell to the ground, creating a dull thump.

His scythes, all six of them, were broken and cracked, not to mention the fact that he was missing an arm on each side, his left leg, and a good portion of his chest, all of which prevented him from getting up at all, though he still tried to regenerate the more vital organs. Grimmjow, reveling in the bloodthirsty cheers of the crowd, remained in the air where he was, a fierce grin exposing the tips of his teeth.

Raising one hand, he prepared another laceration, the blue trails of pure reiyroku already streaming from his claws, waiting and ready to be thrown. The blue light turned the perpetual sunlight sky black, casting its azure glow all throughout the sands, giving the panther an almost eerie look.

Silence fell through the sands of Hueco Muendo, the tension thick in the air, ready for the final blow to fall...

And fall it did.

With a blur of Sonido, he appeared before Nnoitra. With a bone crunching blow, Grimmjow _stamped_ one foot down on the espada's windpipe, and held his hand high, taking great satisfaction in the way the former's eye went wide in horror.

"Die, Nnoitra!"

A splash of gore, then Nnoitra Jiruga was no more, for his head now rolled past Grimmjow's feet, and with a look of utter disgust, he evaporated it with a point blank cero, doing the same to the corpse body a moment later.

"HA!" He laughed, and the crow gave up a wild cheer! "I'm the strongest! THE STRONGEST!"

His eyes gleamed, and he pointed one clawed finger up into the stands.

"And I'm coming for _you_ next, Ulquiorra!"

The pallid espada arched an eyebrow.

"I sincerely hope he is kidding."

Everyone shared their agreement with this, for though Grimmjow was a berserker, they didn't neccesarily want to lose another espada. But Ichigo coughed, drawing their attention away from the bloodstained Grimmjow, who triumphantly used sonido to bring himself back to the platform, before being glomped by Sophita.

"Wah! Grimmjow-sama!"

"Uwah! What the hell gaki?!" He snarled, breaking away from the unexpected glom attack, and holding her at arms length. "Did I say you could-

"Aw."

Scowling, he turned to look in the direction of the voice.

Saita smiled softly, walking up the steps to take a place beside Ichigo.

"Aw, look everyone, the kitty _enjoys_ being petted."

"Urusai, bitch!"

"Enough." Grumbled Agro, letting lose a glimmer of spiritual pressure, and that shut Grimmjow and Saita up _fast_. "You're annoying Ichigo-sama."

"Szayel, Shun, if you will?" The former shinigami sighed, then gestured to the sands, but as if speaking a second though, added: "But please, try _not_ to kill each other. I'd _hate_ to lose another arrancar, especially two valuable warriors such as yourselves." The way he spoke indicated otherwise, and everyone exchanged a glance as he said this, knowing that Nnoitra, despite being insanely powerful, had been killed off for exactly such a reason.

He'd been overconfident, and he'd pissed off Ichigo.

Definitely something NOT to do.

The two intellectuals each exchanged a glance, then took the stairway leading down to the arena, seemingly in no possible rush to arrive at their destination. After a minute or so, they faced each other down on the sands, and Szayel was the first to speak.

"Perhaps we should begin now?" Sighed the pinkette arrancar, drawing Fornicarus from its sheathe in one smooth, fluid motion, then shifting it to his right hand, as opposed to his left. His stance was smooth and fluid, ready to move at a seconds notice.

"I concur." Shun replied drawing his blade, its round azure spiked and guard gleaming in the light. "But the questions is, shall we give the audience a show, or shall we get right to the second act and get serious?"

Szayel's amber eyes gleamed with amusement as he heard these words, for they were his own.

"You flatter me."

Shun gave a short bow, and held his zanpaktou into the air. As this happened, its hilt wrap changed from white to black, and the spikes around the guard vanished, receding back into the blade, which now changed color to one of pure white. Needless to say, it was something Szayel arched an eyebrow at. Shun chuckled softly, refusing to answer the obvious unspoken question of how his zanpaktou had changed.

"The second act it is then." He sighed, holding Fornicarus up to his throat.

Kenshin frowned as the air started to shimmer, though not as violently.

"Here it comes...

"Sip! Fornicarus!"

Shun was the only one not to cringe as Szayel devoured his blade and transformed. In fact, he remained calm cool and collected, even as a bright orange aura enshrouded his body, stemming from his zanpaktou. "Not bad. Exactly what I'd expect from an espada."

Szayel patiently crossed his arms, tone slight haughty and demeaning.

"I'll allow you the chance to release, so I suggest you make good use of it."

Shun reached up to his face, and removed the glasses, proving they weren't part of his mask after all. A smile traced his face as the frames crumpled in his hand, exposing slitted orangish red eyes that seemed to glow with unrestrained white light. "Very well then-Urgh!"

Surprising everyone, he ran himself through with the blade!

A murmur of confusion ran through the crowd, and Tatsuki covered her mouth, lest she barf from the explosion of gore from Shun's gut. Kenshin frowned slightly at the barbaric display, whilst Kukkaku remained stoic.

"He's already won."

"You can tell who's gonna win?" Tatsuki groaned, trying to keep her lunch down, but having difficulty doing so, as her face turned green. "Who...is it?"

The Shiba woman just smirked.

"You'll see."

However, as the tip came out Shun's chest, he laughed and declared:

"Flare! Fenix!"

He vanished in a blossom of firey light!

**Oh boy! What release form is this?!**


	12. Blinding Fury

A cyclone of ash and flame erupted from where Shun had stood, spiraling endlessly on into the heavens. As it howled into the air, the sand at Shun's feet turned to white hot glass, which then cracked and splintered under the intensity of the flame, creating a deadly twister capable of lacerating whoever got too close.

The result was a giant twister, a vortex which was slowly changing, taking on the shape of two giant flaming wings which spread into the sky, then taking on the full shape of a giant flaming phoenix. It beat its wings once, and descended to where the twister was still roiling about, and no sooner and it done so...

Then a massive explosion of orange light shone forth!

Ichigo smirked as everything was lost in the light.

"Here we go...

--

Szayel stared calmly into the heated flame that sucked in the dust and dirt, then gradually took on human shape. "Behold, Fenix." Shun's hair was no longer silver, in fact, it was now a fierce ruby red color, longer, and despite this, it had a spiky look to it. He'd lost the sleeves of his hakama at some point, and down the bare skin of his arms ran a pattern of black flame marks, from which fire still blazed. From his back, extended two wings of pure fire, and in both his hands sparked two blackish white sabers, each made of pure energy.

Crisscrossing the blades, he practiced some swings, held the two weapons in a ready stance, his now dark red eyes narrowed to furious slits, as the heat still hissed and spit off his body. For a moment, there was silence...then at last he spoke, bringing his double blades around in a slow semi-circle. "Here I come."

An invisible wall of heat slammed into Szayel with all the effect of a hard right hook. Stunned, the former Ocatva lurched back a step in surprise, a look of confusion plastered all over his face. Another wall of suffocating flames came his way, and the startled espada jumped back half a step in an attempt to return the fight to his advantage...

_'There!'_

Before he could recover, Shun crossed the distance between them in one lightning fast Sonido, slashed Szayel across the chest, and then reappeared above him, all in the space of a second. The scientist saw only the white of Shun's Fenix before flames engulfed the two of them, swallowing them both whole in the explosion.

"Nice try." Shun sneered as he leapt out of the cloud of ash, not sporting any more than a simple burn about themselves, in fact, Shun was entirely unscathed, but Szayel's skin about the arms and chest was blackened and burned. "But I know all about your abilities."

"I suppose _that_, is impressive." Szayel sighed, his eyes gleaming as he dusted himself off, then drew his wings in, hoping to force Shun back and away, but the flame haired arrancar just burned the appendages, instead forcing the pinkette away instead.

But still, Szayel did not panic. "Yes, for a brute such as yourself, that _form_ is _quite_ acceptable." But Shun did not respond to the taunt, at least not the way Szayel thought he would. Instead, he sliced his thumbs with both sabers, drawing blood which ran down the length of his weapons, pointing one forward, and the other outward. "Sarcasm, eh? Say that again, _after_ you see this!"

Ulquiorra arched an eyebrow as he saw light gather at the tip of each blade, with more and more energy being siphoned in from the wings, as the focal point. "How is he able to utilize _that_ kind of cero?"

"Didn't you know, Ulquiorra?" Every arrancar turned to look at Saita, who once again surprised them with her words, though that blank expression did not leave her face. "Your precious dark zero isn't the only kind of cero out there. In fact, each espada has his or her own unique cero. We just don't use them very often."

Grimmjow smirked, exposing a toothy grin, directed at the redhead.

"Looks like I might have some competition after all...

"Quiet. It's starting." she mumbled again, directing everyone's attention back to the fray.

"Cero Clario." **(Bright zero)** Shun smirked, and Szayel frowned as the cero's abruptly became blindingly bright, as oppsoed to their natural dark color. "My ultimate cero, that only I can use, and only in my resurrecion form." A dull humming sound could be heard by this point, as more and more light coallesced into the wildly fluctuating orbs, begging, screaming to be released. "So get ready...

Agro snorted, and rolled his eyes.

"Nothing special."

Saita yawned, Jaqcli just muttered something about how boring this all was.

Ying and Yang looked on with interest, and in Ulquiorra's case, mild apathy.

Neliel just sighed, with the rest of the soon to be espada sharing similair reactions.

Shun however, grinned slyly as white sparks danced along the length of his weapons. His entire body screamed from the intake of reishi output, but even as his skin turned white hot, a small chuckle escaped his lips.

"Not gonna dodge, eh? Good. Now....

Almost ready now...

NOW!

"Eat it!" Shun cried, and a pillar of white light erupted from the blades!

Szayel scowled, raised a hand, a cero of his own already formed and ready to be fired, even as the white light of death screamed across the abyss towards him. Even when the spike was less than a foot from his face, still...he refused to fire off his own blast.

Imagine Shun's response when the former Octava simply sidestepped the wave, and pressed his own cero into the seething white inferno, cancelling it out in an explosion of purplish red and spraying sand everywhere, drawing boo's from the spectators, as the combatants were cut off from sight. "If a new type of cero is your only ace, then I suppose I shall respond in kind...

"Oh really?"

The sensation of burning steel could now be felt at his neck, then an arm seized him in a chokehold, causing him to freeze.

"You talk too much, you know that? Damn, you have so many openings a shinigami could get the jump on you, you know?""

Szayel remembered that captainm and cursed himself for his folly as he realized just what had happened. Shun had never really intended to hit him with that attack, oh no, it had merely been a smokescreen, for the real finisher. Clever, very clever, and he'd fallen for it, hook line and sinker. The fiery arrancar smirked as the flames about his body turned blackish orange, a sure sign that he was building up for something.

"Curse you!" Was all he could hiss out.

"Later, former number eight." Shun grinned as his body turned blindingly bright-

"Enough, both of you!" A voice boomed, and the flare of Ichigo's spiritual pressure, slamming into them, made it clear who the speaker was. Exuding a massive killer intent, the vizard now glared down at the two through his mask, which he had donned at some point during their fight, making it all too clear that this fight was over. "I specifically told you _not_ to kill each other!"

Shun realized this immediately, quickly released Szayel, and dropped to one knee, head down in reverence.

"My sincerest apologies my lord! I beg your forgiveness!"

"Come," Ichigo beckoned with a hand, tone dismissive. "Get back up here."

Sealing his power back into sword form, Shun cleared the distance seperating him and his master in one leap, rejoining his comrades, with Szayel following suit shortly thereafter. However, there was no mistaking the look of seething discontent he wore.

"Do you have a problem with your life being spared, Szayel Apporo?" Ichigo's glare fixated itself on said arrancar, his tone left no room for objection, nor would he tolerate the scientist's protests, that much was appalingly clear as he flash stepped forward and held Zangetsu to the espada's throat. "Or would you rather _I_ be the one to lop off your head?"

Realizing his position, and that further objection would likely result in his demise, the arrancar tsked, and muttered: "No Ichigo-sama, I have no objections."

"Good." Without the slightest motion, the former shinigami banished the mask from his face, withdrew Zangetsu and turned his back on Szayel. "Also, I'd appreciate if the rest of you could keep from killing each other, if you don't mind?"

Those who had yet to participate each nodded solemnly.

"Now," Ichigo scratched the back of his head with one finger, then turned his attention to Gin, and arched an eyebrow as if to ask a silent question. The two exchanged a nod, and without a word, Gin turned to head back down the corridor from which everyone had entered.

Now, Ichigo brought his full attention to Saita. "I'd say it's about time for a change of pace, wouldn't you agree?"

The redhead nodded and took a step forward, bringing herself to her master's side. "So...do I have to hold back then?" As if to answer the unspoken question, Ichigo shook his headm then turned his attention back to his newfound comrades. "Ulquiorra, Agro, can I trust the two of you to work together?"

"Why?" Agro asked blandly, even as Ulquiorra agreed to Ichigo's terms. "I do not need assistance."

"Dumbass." Saita spit at him, rolling her violet eyes in rich displeasure. "Lord Ichigo's getting bored with the way you losers fight, so we're skipping to the tag team fights now." Planting both hands on her hips, she shot them a glare. "Got a problem with that?"

"Saita." Ichigo didn't glare at her, didn't use a forceful tone, but simply by speaking her name, the redhead got the message and became silent. "I'd like to be the one to explain this, if you don't mind."

"You heard him, shut yer trap, gaki." Grimmjow yawned, picking some wax out of his ear.

"Urusai!" Saita snapped back at them, and before they could continue to argue, Ichigo spoke again.

"Agro,you'll need all the help you can get, trust me."

Everyone went silent.

"Master," The hulking arrancar inclined his head respectfully, but it was clear that the vizards words troubled him deeply, and he was doing his best not to be disrespectful to the man who'd given him this power.. "Do you doubt my strength?"

"Not at all." Came the reply as the strawberry placed a hand on Agro's shoulder. "But you'll be fighting against...

"BASTARD!"

WHAM! A mighty tremor shook the ground beneath their feet before he could continue. However, no one seemed to be very surprised, not even in the slightest, when a hulking figure landed behind Ichigo.

"You sonova bitch!"

"So, you're still alive? Ichigo interrupted quietly, slowly turning to find himself face to face with, a battered, bruised, and out of breath Yammy. He was missing not only his right arm, but his chest looked like he'd been on the business end of Ryujjin Jaka. "I have to say, I'm impressed, but you've served your purpose."

"The hell?!" Yammy roared reaching for his zanpaktou. "That's all you have to say to me, you piece of-

Ichigo waved a hand, in what looked a clear gesture to go away, but Zangetsu flew out of the cloth wrap, to effortlessly swat the hulking man aside, into the nearby wall, cracking it. With a silent swish of shunpo, he grabbed the decima by the wrist...

And seconds later, his good arm fell to the ground, severed at the elbow. As Yammy howled in pain, Ichigo snarled in annoyance, "Ulquiorra, shut him up." The cuarta espada nodded, and with one sharp elbow to the gut, the deed was done "By the way, did anyone happen to follow you here?" Ichigo knew there was no way Yammy could've gotten back here by himself. He'd been followed, but the question was, by whom?

That questioned was answered by the flare of three familair spiritual pressures in the distance, then several weaker reiatsu signatures. Well, it wasn't exactly what he was looking for, but hey, it'd be a good chance to bolster morale for the troops.

"Well well, _four_ captains, three lieutenants and a few other's... that's quite the welcoming party." He turned to Yammy, who gagged as Zangetsu suddenly buried itself deep into his stomach, whilst Ulquiorra now held him down, preventing a struggle. "Now, any last words before I blow you to pieces?"

Yammy's mouth worked silently as blood spilled from his lips.

"Oh well." Ichigo shrugged. "Later, you piece of shit."

With a flash of blue, the Getsuga Tensho ripped Yammy Riyalgo clear in half, the two halves then dissolving into the air. Scarcely had he even fallen, then Ichigo turned to the still large crowd of onlooking arrancar.

Clearing his throat, he held both hands up for emphasis as he spoke.

"My dear brother's and sisters, we have guests! Three captain's have come here, to our home, to oppose us!"

A loud roar went up from the crowd.

"Shall we give them a proper greeting?!"

The response was deafening, and Tatsuki couldn't make out what he said in response, but it made her blood chill, for the crowd let out a bloodthirsty roar, and half of them began to spill down out of the stands, to in the distance, where a garganta could be seen closing.

A wall of yellow light wiped them out in a second, and the rest of the arrancar suddenly decided it would be best to stay in the stands.

"Well everyone, thanks to this little invasion, there's been a change in plans." Ichigo turned to face his espada-to be, adressing them for the first time like the general he had unwillingly been forced to become. "Try not to kill the lieutenants if you can, but leave the captains to me."

Grimmjow smirked, and drew his blade.

"Oi, gaki, we're going! Try not to slow me down!"

"H-Hai!" Sophita stammered, racing off after her master.

Ichigo moved to join them, but a hand on his shoulder stayed him.

"Ichigo, must you do this?" Neliel looked at him pleadingly, her tone concerned, kind, yet worried at the same time. "Must you slaughter them so needlessly? Some of these shinigami were our allies once." For a moment, his face blanked, then a fierce scowl took its place. "Nel, they killed my friends, and you...want me to spare them?"

"You were never like this before." She replied quietly. "You used to be so kind...what's happened to you?"

"Hey, I'm not the bad guy!" He protested, as the rest of the espada set out, leaving only the two of them on the ledge. "I'm the one trying to avenge my friends, I'm the one trying to protect Tatsuki!"

"Two wrongs don't make a right." She refused to let go of him, determined to get the truth from him here and now, while she could. "What will you do once you've gotten your precious revenge? Do you honestly think you can go back to a normal lifestyle, after what you've done? Even if you kill off all the captains, and kill every single shinigami, you'll disrupt the balance between the two worlds. If you leave some shinigami behind to maintain the balance, you'll be on the run for the rest of your life. Ichigo, Hueco Muendo is no place to live, not for a human like yourself."

"I don't have time for this!" He snarled, trying to get free of her grip, yet reluctant to hurt her in the process. "Damnit, let go!"

"So that's it then?" She asked sadly. "You're no better than Aizen. You haven't even thought of what you'll do once all is said and done, it's beyond you. All you can see is hatred, all you care for is settling old grudges."

His eyes narrowed to slits, and red hot fury welled up inside his soul.

"Don't you _dare_ compare me to him! I'm nothing like him! NOTHING, you hear me?!"

"Then prove to me that you're not a monster! "She was pleading with him now, he could tell that much as he saw the tears begin to well up in her wide, adoring hazel eyes. "The Ichigo I know wouldn't fight so needlessly!"

"Nel, hey c'mon, don't cry! I'm not a monster, you have to believe me!"

"I want to... she snifled, unable to help herself, "Really, I do...Ichigo...

Something soft covered his lips, and his eyes went wide as he realized what exactly she did, was still doing. His body refused to move, yet his mind was crystal clear, telling him one thing, over, and over again. Hold her, don't let her go, pull her close, embrace her.... _'Why...why...damnit why?!'_ The desire to return her kiss was suddenly so overwhelming, so much so, that for a split second, he closed his eyes, wrapped both arms around her waist, pulled her close, and just... held her there.

She whimpered and returned the embrace, throwing both arms around his neck, tears streaming down from her eyes, even as they slid shut. They just stood there, refusing to move, and the ten seconds that passed between them felt like an eternity to both vizard and arrancar alike.

"I...I...damnit," He hissed, finally remembering where he was, face burning as he finally shook free of both her grip and her lips. "I...er, I have to go!"

Neliel, still reeling from the kiss, released him, and watched helplessly as he sped off.

A ragged sigh escaped her lips, as her shoulders slumped in defeated exhaustion as he was lost from sight. Soon after, she sped after him, teal hair whipping about from the wind behind her. She was determined to make sure he didn't spill any more blood than was neccessary. She wouldn't let him walk that path, she couldn't, no she _refused_ to let him walk down the road that would lead to his own destruction. She had to do something, something that'd make him realized just what kind of monster he was slowly becoming.

She had to.

For both his sake and her own.

Before it was too late.

"Oh Ichigo, can't you see what you're doing...?"


	13. Cruel Heart, Kind Eyes

**I do not own Saita or bleach! But I do own Agro and Shun!**

When at last he came into view of the battle his heart cried out for blood. On the ground fought an injured Grimmjow, who'd apparently taken a hit to protect his Sophita, who didn't look to be in much better shape either, for she bled badly from a deep gash in her lower hip. The two looked to be alright however, just very, very annoyed, for they still fought fiercely agains the invaders.

"Tch, of all the damn underhanded...

Agro and Shun were wading into a crowd of weaker shinigami, their released forms effortlessly ripping the soul reapers to bloody shreds, the sight of bodies flying through the air indicating their position. But if he didn't do something soon, the captains were bound to turn their attention towards them.

Both Ulquiorra and Saita were hard pressed against someone, but their battle was too far away for him to even recognize who it might be. But judging from the haphazard spikes of bluishwhite reiatsu, it had to be Toshirou.

Quickly, he scanned for any sign of the other captains, and almost immediately, he struck paydirt.

"Ichigo! Come out!" A crazed laugh piqued his interest, and he looked down from his perch on the pillar to see the one man he'd been looking for. It was impossible to miss his hulking frame, and a wild grin spread across his face as he recognized the infamous aura of yellow energy blazing about the figure. "I know you're here! C'mon out and fight me!"

Zaraki Kenpachi.

"Chire. Senbonzakura."

The smirk turned into a scowl, as he watched fifty of the lesser numerous vanish in the deadly embrace of Byakuya Kuchiki's shikai. The pink petals swarmed around the captain of squad six, and just looking at him, even from this distance, set Ichigo's blood aboil.

And to think, this wasn't even the real fight yet.

Yet if those two were here, then where was-

He blinked, and ten more arrancar in the distance dropped dead right before his very eyes, each bearing a hornet's crest on their back and lower abdomen.

Soi-fon.

He'd never really met her personally, but Yoruichi had briefly mentioned the captain of squad two once or twice. And from what he'd heard, she could kill you in two strikes with that Suzemabachi of hers.

"C'mon!" One arrancar in particular fought two lieutenants at once, but he knew she was too determined to realize she was in over her head. "C'mon c'mon c'mon!!" Even as her circular blade bounced off each time, she kept attacking like there was no tomorrow.

Recognizing her need to fight, Ichigo was content to sit and wait until the weaklings were dispatched, but that all changed when one of the lieutenants, a man wearing dark sunglasses of all things, kicked sand in her face, blinding her. Within a heartbeat fiery girl was knocked down .

A scowl twisting his face, the vizard reached for Zangetsu.

"Bankai." He muttered, briefly letting his reaitsu flare for everyone to see, a pillar of dark redish black in the bright blue sky, but most were too caught up in their own battles to notice the brief flicker of spiritual pressure.

Let them know he was here.

Let them tremble!

Rangiku _barely_ saw the zanpaktou coming, and by the time she did, she thought she'd seen a ghost.

"Begone."

She stiffened, as he appeared behind her, ready to deal the killing blow...

Yet unaware of her zanpaktou, he did not register her shikai until a moment too late.

"Unare: Haineko!"

The cloud of ash swarmed about him, cutting off his view of the outside world, just as he brought Zangetsu down with enough force to split her skull, instead splitting the sands as she leapt away. _'Cheap trick!'_ Snarling at the loss of his target, the vizard waved a hand about, but it came away scratched and bloodied.

"You think this'll hold?!"

Ichigo slammed the tip of Tensa Zangetsu into the sand, the ebony black edge already sparking furiously.

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

In the resulting explosion, Haineko's ash cloud was blown away, giving the murderous strawberry a clear shot at his targets. But just before his soul cutter should have pierced the busty woman through, somethign changed his mind. Thusly, with a quick thrust of the hilt to the back of her head, Matsumoto slumped over, unconcious.

He'd deal with her later, or so were his thoughts.

"Rangiku-san!" Tetsuezaemon cried, and in doing so, drew attention to himself.

With a snarl, the demon whirled!

Iba however, did not meet such a kind fate, for Ichigo would spare no mercy to strangers this day. The last thing the lieutenant saw were those horrifying yellow eyes, staring deep into his soul, then he passed into death's embrace, vanquished by a beheading.

"Lillenette." Ichigo rumbled as the fraccion picked herself back up.

"Y-Yeah?"

She stiffened, as he beckoned to her. It was as if she were staring at the devil himself, those cold cruel eyes held just the faintest hint of concern, yet they also hid an insatiable lust for violence, somewhere deep within those dark sclera.

"Come here."

"G-Got it!" She gave a quick, nervous nod, at his side in an instant.

"Don't leave my side, do you understand?"

From there, Ichigo waded through the troops, swinging Zangetsu in quick, precise strikes, cutting down all who stood in his way, and sparing none, all the while gathering his forces to rally behing him. No matter where the enemy struck, sparks flew off instead of blood, his advance was steadily bringing him to the front lines by this time, where the higher ranking officers were engaged.

The captain's seemed to realize this, for after what seemed like an endless bath of bloodshed, the enemy began to pull back, and eventually, stopped fighting altogether. Met with less and less resistance, some of the arrancar grew bolder, but Ichigo refused to let any pass by, even cutting down a foolish soldier who dared to charge ahead of him, instead gaining ground with every step.

At last, he saw the reason why.

There before him, stood a familair face.

Ikkaku.

As one, the masses stopped, milling about in confusion. It would be a simple matter to swarm the shinigami, yet most were afraid to do just that, for behind Madarame, lay a heap of corpses, all of them his own kills.

"Long time no see eh, Ichigo?" The third seat shouldered his Hozukimaru, a wide grin splitting his face.

"You're in the way."

He really didn't want to waste his energy on Ikkaku.

He didn't want to kill him either.

He didn't want to do alot of things, but he had to do them.

"Heh," The bald fellow chuckled, shaking his head. "I could say the same for you."

"Go." Ichigo ordered, realizing exactly what was about to happen, as Madarame's aura a golden saffron surge, flared up. "You aren't needed here." And the bulk of his 500 strong force surged past him and Lillenette.

"So, this is payback, huh?" The vizard ventured, as they started to circle each other. "Or were you ordered to kill me?"

"Nope." Ikkaku cracked his neck, then held his spear aloft. "This is...

Almost immediately, Kurosaki recognized the surge of suppressed reaitsu building up.

"For myself!"

_'That's-_

"Bankai!" Ikkaku howled, and vanished in a twister of wind and red flame.

Ichigo responded in kind.

Sparks of heated reiastsu billowed about as the infamous fighter's finally came back into view, their pace slow and languid, as if both were in no particular hurry to do battle. "It would seem, that you think you can kill me." Ichigo eyed the massive blades with caution, knowing it'd take just one hit to seriously screw him over. But take one good look at grim expression upon their faces, and you'd recognize the murderous killer intent lurking just beneath the surface.

"How...amusing."

"Ready for round two?" Ichigo readied Zangetsu, yet kept his other zanpaktou within their sheathes.

"Winner take all?" Ikkaku smirked, Ryuumon Hozukimaru at the ready.

A small smirk tugged at Ichigo's face, behind the mask.

"Damn straight."

And for what would be the last time...

They fought.


	14. A Terrible Burden

"Heh, so that's your bankai, eh Ichigo?" Ikkaku was surprised to see such a average blade, but then again, he hadn't really known what to expect from the wayward ryoka since they'd last fought so long ago. "It's kinda small." Actually, this was his first time seeing Ichigo's bankai up close, now that he thought about it. "You sure you wanna fight me like that?"

"Size matters not." Came the calm reply as the vizard readied himself in a loose stance. "So you shouldn't be talking." Yet when he spoke, his tone held some small measure of respect to it, even as they slowly began tp radiate reiatsu. "But still, I gotta say, your bankai's pretty awesome."

"Heh, complimenting your enemy?"

_'Sheesh, he might actually kill me this time..._

If he'd been strong enough to defeat captain Kuchiki with it a year ago....

There was no telling what he was capable of now.

"Lillenette." Ichigo looked over his shoulder at her, and the fraccion froze as his souless gaze bored into her pink eyes. "Sheathe your sword and stay back. This is my fight now." His tone was polite enough, but left no room for objections. "Don't get in my way."

"H-Hai!" The impulsive girl tried her best not to look away from her master's gaze. "I'll...I'll stay put!" But he could see it was difficult for her to do so, then again, he couldn't really blame her for it. With his mask, he was absolutely terrifying. She was scared, he frightened her, and it pained him to know this. Orihime...she'd looked at him the same way once.

I﻿ can't protect anyone without a sword.  
I can't hold anyone _with_ a sword.

In that moment, he felt bitter.

_'If this continues...I really will be no better than Aizen..._

He shook himself from that train of thought.

_'No! I won't become a monster!'_

"Don't worry." His sad gaze returned to Ikkaku as turned his back to Lillenette, cloak swaying in the wind, his tone strained, as if he were trying to make up for what he had said earlier. "I won't let a single speck of reaitsu get past me."

"You ready?"

"As ready as I'll ever be." Ichigo sighed as they began to circle each other, two powerful warriors, set firmly on the path of battle. It pained Ichigo to do this, knowing that once again his hands would be stained with the blood of a friend, yet there was no avoiding it. "But there really isn't any point in asking you to back down, now is there?"

"HIYA!"

Ikkaku's response was to charge right into Ichigo, who barely managed to bring to block in time, even then, the impact nearly jarred Zangetsu from his hand, spraying sand everywhere as the two comabatants strained against the other. But, Ikkaku had only struck with the spade of his weapon, rather than bringing down the dao as well. Because of this, Ichigo was able to gain the advantage in their power struggle, and with ease, was able to push him back.

Blood sprayed through the air as Zangetsu found its mark, and ripped the third seat a shallow cut across the stomach. The wild grin turned into a grimace of pain as the fountain of gore spread across the sands. The wound itself wasn't a deep one, nor was it life threatening, but it was a bleeder, and he'd have to do something about it soon.

But it was worth it, for by attacking...

He'd left himself wide open.

And then Ichigo saw where the dao was. At some point, Ikkaku had thrown the chain around them both, and though he managed to escape the edge with flash steps, he was unable to fully avoid the ever dancing chain that now connected with his body swatting him like a fly and throwing him into a nearby pillar.

But as he flew back, the vizard twisted around in midair, so that his legs absorbed the shock of the impact, and slammed into the tower instead. Snarling angrily, the momentum rocketed the vizard forward and swinging his blade like a baseball bat, smashed Ikkaku across the face and into the air.

"Once more!" Ichigo snarled, digging into the ground with both feet and leaping afer him shoved Hozukimaru's edge away from his face before Madarame could heave the chained zanpaktou back down at him. "I'm not done yet!"

However, as he swatted the chain aside, a shadow fell over him. Startled, Ichigo whirled around to see both the axe and spade down descending upon him, from opposite directions. Forced to make a decision, Ichigo jumped to one side, hoping to minimize the damage. The dao was gonna hurt, but if that axe hit him, he wasn't getting back up.

Pain ripped through flesh as he received a bone splitting blow across the back, but kept going, refusing to pause and recover. That might've been enough to tear out his spine, had it hit just an inch or so north. With a quick series of thrusts, none of which anyone could hope to block, Ikkaku was thrown higher into the air. Now, before he could attempt to counter, Ichigo had already shunpoed behind him, blade raised high.

"Getsuga Tenshou!" He roared, and Ikkaku saw the blackness a split second before the fires of hell swallowed them whole, its foul light screaming intensely for just a second, and then the flames of the abyss were gone. A breeze nudged the smoke aside, and both shinigami remained where they were, entirely unscathed. But Ikkaku's Hozukimaru now bore a a heavy crack in both the dao and spade, the end result of absorbing such an enormous overflow of spirit energy.

"The hell was that, Ichigo?" Ikkaku chuckled, amused, even though his weapon had been cracked. This fight was unlike any he'd ever fought before, and it was blatantly obvious that squad eleven's second strongest man was having the time of his life. "You didn't have that move the last time we fought."

"You're just as crazy as Kenpachi." Ichigo winced in pain, body aching from blood soaking the back of his shihakusho.

"I make it my policy to fight only those I know are stronger then﻿ me!" Ikkaku grinned, and calling the massive weapon back to himself, seized the axe by its handle and began to spin the chained blades about, the dragon crest slowly starting to fill with red light. "So I can have a fight to remeber, cuz the only fights worth fighting are ones with the odds stacked agaisnt you!"

"You fool." Muttered Ichigo forlornly as Madarame's spiritual pressure continued to rise, yet as the crest continued to fill, his eyes narrowed and the vizard suddenly becoming furious with it all. It pained him to kill someone he knew, someone he had once shared the battlefield with, but he really couldn't see any other way out of this. "You're going to die, do you know that Ikkaku?! I'm going to kill you here, and you say you're okay with it?!"

"Good!" Ikkaku's reply left the vizards stunned speechless as the chained axe spun faster and faster still, emitting a barely audible hum all the while, chains clanking about heavily in the reaitsu laden air. "For a second there, I thought you were gonna go easy on me again!"

_'He knows. He knows I'm going to kill him, but..._

With a steamy hiss, Hozukimaru's crest glowed a pulsating red, now filled to the brim and overflowing with spiritual pressure. Bright neon red light streamed from Ikkaku's body, giving him an almost demonic appearance. Snatching the zanpaktou from the air, Ikkaku seized both the hilt of the axe, and the spade in hand. "Here I come, Ichigo!"

_'He doesn't care.'_

The sky exploded in a rush of ashen fire!

Everyone looked up.

Lillenette uttered one word.

"Ichigo...

--

It was over.

Ichigo stood on one side, and Ikkaku on the other. Thick black smoke obscurred their forms, refusing to reveal the victor, despite the fierce wind that whipped about, and now died down, leaving deafening silence, broken only by the clashes of swords below, and the screams of the dying.

At last, it parted.

Ikkaku was missing his right arm, and a good chunk of his right hip. It'd been simply blown away, the veins cauterized to the point where there was only blackened skin representing the wound. It didn't hurt, but he could feel himself fading.

With the last of his strength, Ikkaku looked over his shoulder.

"Heh, ya got me Ichigo. You... really got me this time, you lucky bastard."

"I'm not lucky." Ichigo's mask was expressionless, but on the inside, his heart cried tears of misery. "In fact, I've got bad luck." He gazed upon Zangetsu, it dripped with the blood of another life, cruelly ripped away from this world. "If I was lucky, none of this would've ever happened.

The life of a friend had been extinguished.

"I see....

The life faded from his eyes, and blood exploded from his mouth in a spray of vomit. With a trembling hand, he gave a salute to the vizard, who reached out a trembling hand of his own to catch Ikkaku, even as he started to fall away.

But Madarame made no move to hold onto Ichigo's hand, and the weight of his body was too much for the vizard to hold.

"Adios, Ichigo." Were his last words, as his hand slipped from the strawberry's grasp.

Ichigo could not turn his gaze away, he watched in terror as Ikkaku fell to the ground, his corpse landing with a heavy lifeless thud. The mask hid the horrified expression he wore, yet it was still there nonetheless. Monster! His very soul _screamed_ at him, rallying against the atrocities he had just commited, by taking another life, even though it had bee a necessary one. You're a monster Ichigo!

He'd done it.

He'd killed another friend.

--

Silently, he descended to the ground. Ikkaku lay at his feet, lifeless and unmoving. With a swipe of air, he split apart both the sand, and a foolish shinigami who unwisely tried to strike at him from behind while he was distracted. As the soul reaper fell in a spray of blood, he Ichigo turned to face Lillenette.

Her eyes widened slightly.

A moment of silence.

"Are you afraid?"

She didn't answer, but neither could she deny it.

"I guess telling you to relax won't help much when I look like this." His shoulders sagged, for they bore a great and terrible burden, and with every life he stole, that burden increased tenfold. "But let me say it anyway. You can relax now."

Lillenette couldn't bring herself to speak.

How could she say that just walking beside him shook her very soul? He was unusually kind to her, whereas he was unusually brutal to everyone else beside's that Tatsuki woman of his. It was terrifying, yet so exctingly familair at the same time, to stand next to such incredible power. Stark had been the same way. True, he was a lazy bastard who hated to fight, and preferred to just take a long nap all day, but she'd still cared for him greatly.

The freaky thing, for in terms of power, the way Ichigo's spiritual pressure felt...

It was as if she were walking beside her other half again.

But no, Stark was gone, killed by those two annoying captains. He wasn't coming back.

She'd only survived because he'd thrown her away at the last second, before he was consumed by their bankai's. Once Stark ceased to exist,she'd reverted back to her sealed form, even though she'd wanted to die.

_'But why? Why did he die to let me live?_

What could half a person do?

_'What can I do?'_

How long would it be? How long until she was crushed by this power?

"Umm...Is...something bothering you?" It was difficult to think straight around him, and even more so to speak.

He turned his gaze back to her. "A great many things."

"So...why're you still wearing that mask thingy?"

He shrugged. "Hmph, I'm just too lazy to take it off." For just a _second_, she saw Stark standing in his place, and her heart skipped a beat. But no, when she blinked, it was Ichigo there staring at her, not Stark. Clearly he didn't want to talk anymore.

But if anything, Lillenette was persistent.

"So...why'd you pick me as a fraccion? You're a shinigami, aint'cha? Besides, there's already the fraccion of Halibel-sama-

His gaze hardened slightly as he stared ahead to battlefield, where several shinigami were already racing towards them. With eyes blazing cold fury, he struck them down. Hatred, for being forced to kill. Malice, stirred deep within his soul, for being forced to slaughter, rip, slash and rend. Self loathing for his slow descent into madness, for becoming the very thing he hated so.

A monster.

True, those three did serve him, but only because no one else had been willing to take them on as their underlings. They were more like guards to him however, and aside from breaking up the occasional arguement, he really didn't assosciate with them that much. It was unusual for a shinigami to actually have fraccion, but no one aside from Nnoitra had the balls to speak up, and now the one eyed bastard was dead.

Still, he _should_ answer her question.

"I really don't know why I picked you." He turned his attention back to her, tone thoughtful. "Maybe its because you were all alone for awhile too, or maybe's its because I felt sorry for you too. It might've even been...

He let his words trail off, and apparently fell deep into thought.

"H-Huh?!" She sputtered, flushing a deep vibrant pink, to match her eyes perfectly. "The hell does that mean?!"

"It means what it means!" He snapped back at her. "Don't ask me why!"

"There he is!" A quartet of shinigami rushed to face them.

"I'll finish this quickly." He assured her, ripping forward as the former fraccion ran by his side, yet slightly behind him, to keep out of sight from the enemy. Strangely enough he felt oddly protective of her, but maybe that was due to the fact that she looked so young, or perhaps...because she reminded him of his sisters. "You don't have to worry about-

Golden irises narrowed, the words dying in his throat, as he detected a flicker of movement, then another, and another. _'Decoys?!'_ Only one person moved that fast, and if it was her, he was in deep shit._"No!"_ He grabbed Lillenette by the waist, and jumped to the side a second before it happened. He'd been so foolish to let his guard down, here of all places! _"Stupid stupid stupid! What was I thinking-_

"E-Eh?! What the hell I-Ichigo?!" She squeaked in surprise as they leapt away. "What're you doing-

Pain erupted in his chest, and with a hiss, he swiped at the attacker, but his blade met air."Running is pointless, traitor." A proud mocking voice whispered in his ear. Dark sclera narrowed as a black hornet's crest appeared in the middle of his chest, dead center in his abdomen. _'Shit shit shit!'_ Landing in a crouch, he set Lillenette down and whirled about-

Sparks flew as he hit metal this time, and Soi-fon came into view. Ichigo growled furiously and pushed forward as they grappled, "Fine, if I can't run, then I'll just take care of you here and now!" Even as he said this, he headbutted her once, twice, kicked sand into the woman's face to blind her, and delivered a brutal point blank Getsuga Tenshou to finish up the combo.

But much to his charign, all he burned away was her haori, and as the flames died away she appeared beside him, clad in her combat outfit. Not wasting a second, he grabbed her by the wrist before the second fatal strike could be delivered. But the lithe captain surprised him by coiling a leg around his arm. "Too slow!" With a shriek, she kicked his skull with such force that he skidded back a foot, but not before his right hook rocked her hard in the jaw, throwing her down to the sands.

"Impressive." She sneered, rubbing at her jaw where he'd scored a direct hit. "If you connect with any of those, I may have some trouble."

"Bitch!" Lillenette shrieked, drawing her sword. "Sneaking up on us like that-

"Stay where you are!" He hissed back at her, and she gaped at him as the woman took the opening as an opportunity to stab him in the chest. The hornet's crest glowed white, and his eyes went wide. "Shit... with a roundhouse kick, the leader of the stealth force _threw_ the vizard through a nearby pillar, then used a high level hado spell to bring it down on him. The rubble found around Ichigo's motionless body, burying him in an instant as he lay there, lost from sight.

"Its over." Soi-fon shook her head and began to advance upon the startled fraccion. "How...dissapointing." Within a second, Lillinette was disarmed and pinned down upon the ground, Suzemabachi held to her throat. "You're next, arrancar. Any last words?"

"Bite me." She spit up at her.

"I told you, its over. There's no point in resisting-

**"Over?"** A sinister reiatsu rose from the wreckage, and it exploded into dark red light. **"What's over, shinigami?"**

"Impossible! He can't be alive!"

A white hand burst from the rubble. Ichigo slowly began to emerge, still in a black pillar of light, but once it had cleared, he towered over Soi-fon, in his second hollow form, and looked none too happy.

**"Nothing's over."**

**Next time: Pride versus Pain! Ichigo vs Soi fon!**


	15. Kick!

**"Over?"** A sinister reiatsu rose from the wreckage, and it exploded into dark red light, its coming accompanied by a long wail that grated on her ears. Something was in there, something...was alive. **"What's over, shinigami?"**

"Impossible! He can't be alive!"

A white hand burst from the rubble. Ichigo slowly began to emerge, still in a black pillar of light, but once it had cleared, he towered over Soi-fon, in his second hollow form, and looked none too happy. His fangs curved into a deadly smirk as he reached down to Zangetsu, picking the zanpaktou free from the rubble. Shaking its head, the hollowfied Ichigo shook itself free of the hornet's crest was nowhere to be seen upon his muscular, pallid white body.

**"Nothing's over."**

"How...?" She managed at last.

A dull static sound was his answer, then he stood before her, his tall figure eclipsing the artificial sun and casting her in shadow."**This...** Faster than the eye could see, his foot lashed out, connecting solidly, burying itself in captain's gut with a dull thump. **"Is for harming my subordinate."**

Before she could cry out, before she could even so much as make a sound, the momentum sent her flying into one of the many nearby red pillars that littered the desert of Hueco Muendo. In the blink of an eye, Ichigo was there, seizing her by the face, shoving her deeper into the hole her uncontrolled flight had created. **"Pitiful."**He rumbled, abruptly throwing her to the ground, where she landed in a crouch.** "Is this all a captain has to offer me?"**

Her reaitsu flared in response, yet he grinned toothily as his feet touched upon the ground. **"Impressive."** Spreading his arms wide, he planted Zangetsu tip first into the sands, and beckoned to her. **"Come. I'll give you two free hits. See if you can kill me before then!"** Pride or no, Soi fon was not the type to pass up an opportunity such as this.

_'Fine then..._

To Lillinette, the captain seemed to vanish in one step. _'She's fast!'_ To Ichigo however, Soi fon moved in slow motion, Suzemabachi's death in two strikes ability, seemed to have no absolutely no effect upon him, for when she struck, she was unable to penetrate his skin. **"It seems you have average speed."** But it was as if she were striking against steel, as the captain soon found out. Biting back a curse, and the surge of fear, she increased her speed to the point where she was little more than a blur, darting this way and that, seeming to strike millions of times, all in one second.

Finally, she stopped, panting heavily and out of breath.

"There. You're finished."

**"Hmm, that tickled."**

The crest didn't even appear once.

_'Hierro?!'_

**"Is that it?" **He stared down at her over his mask, surprised, for indeed he was. Her strikes tickled, but that was about the extent of the damage she had done. Judging by the gobsmacked look she wore, apparently this was the best she could do, in shikai. "**Is that your best-**

"Hold it! One more move and I slit her throat!"

Annoyed, the hollow turned to see who dared to interrupt him, and saw that a pudgy heavyset man had taken Lillinette captain at some point. **"Oh?"** and one arm holding her tight, and the other held a sword to her head. **"Taking hostages, eh? What a miserable little worm you are."** He held her off the ground now, and had his zanpaktou to her neck, his intentions obvious.

"B-Back off! I'll kill her, I swear!"

**"You shinigami grow more and more desperate as you die." **The creature rumbled, its slitted yellow eyes staring into the depths of Omaeda's soul. **"If you had any sort of brain under that empty shell you call a skull, then you'd realize," **He paid no heed to Soi fon now, nor the lieutenant's obvious threat to kill Lillinette, for he began to advance at a steady pace, heedless of the blade to her throat. **"You need at least three seconds to move your arm...**

Omaeda turned white as ghost, for the specter was now behind him.

_'Sh-Shit!'_

**"Yet I need only one."**

"Omaeda run! You're no match for him."

**"Neither are you." **Ichigo replied, throwing his free hand out to catch her by the leg. With a twist of his wrist, he slammed the proud captain into the sands, the reverberation deafening her, and throwing her a foot or so into the air. Silently, Ichigo brutally backhanded Soi fon before she could recover to attack him, the strike slamming her into the sands once more with a loud crack.

All this happened in the space of a second.

"**Farewell."** Flicking one finger, the vasto lorde class hollow's bala now threw the woman a mile across the sands, and soon she was little more than a speck on the horizon. Without furhter ado, he turned to seize Omaeda's sword arm. His tone dripped with malice as he began to pull. **"My apologies, worm. Now, I believe you have something that belongs to me...**

With a wet popping sound...

The limb tore clear off Omaeda's body, and was thrown down onto the gravel.

A gasping Lillinette fell on her butt, coughing and sputtering for air.

**"Lillenette, cover your ears and look away."**

In awe of the magnificent power her master had just displayed, the fraccion looked up and managed a nod as his free hand slid over her face, covering her eyes. Despite its coloration, it was still warm, she noted, warm and soft, just like human skin, and so unlike the reaitsu hardened shell of hierro all arrancar wore.

Before the man could even hope to scream and traumatize his fraccion Ichigo had him by the face, muffling all cries of pain and terror. Yet the demon was not yet done, for a dark red cero now danced between his fingertips. **"Don't worry, this is a point blank cero. Your death will be relatively painless." **As Omaeda began to blubber and plead for his life, Ichigo squeezed down harder upon his visage. **"Silence! Accept your merciful death with dignity!"**

"N-No, please, mercy!"

**"Quiet!" **Ichigo roared, the red light now blocking Omaeda's view of all else, denying everything in the all consuming red light. **"You Shinigami deserve no mercy! Accept peace in death and live no more!" **The man's scream of terror was overwhelmed by the powerful roar of the hollow flash, effectively disintegrating him in an instant.

When at last Ichigo removed his hand from her face, Lillenette could see no sign of the lieutenant. All that remained was dust in the wind, as if the shinigami had never even been there to begin with.

It frightened her.

**"Did he...hurt you?"**

Surprised by the question she shook her head.

"N-No."

**"Then its about time I did something about your fighting capabilities."**

"W-Wait a sec! What're you-

She squeaked in surprise as he touched a finger to her head. Almost immediately, she gasped, shuddered slightly, and hugged herself tightly as her body went intp spasms. Her very skin itself felt afire, the veins that pumped blood to her heart felt laden with lead, and every breath was torture. After what seemed like a millenia, the pain went away, leaving her on hands and knees, panting and gasping for breath.

**"I've given you my power." **Ichigo explained as she looked down at her hands in stunned amazement. Sure enough, the same bone chilling power could be felt within her core, thrashing wildly about and begging to be released. How did he control this much energy?** "You should be able to release and fight properly now."**

_Kick. Los Lobos._

She knew the phrase to release, but that had been Stark's...hadn't it?

With a trembling hand, Lillenette reached for her sword, filled with trepidation all the while."Huh? There's no way I can-Oh!" As her fingers curled around the hilt, her body surged with newfound power, power that she never imagined to even exist, until this very moment, and there was no denying its origins. The rush was so mind blowing that it actually knocked the hotheaded arrancar back on her butt. "W-Whoa! The hell is this?"

Power!

There was so much power she could barely even contain it!

Was this what Stark felt when they released?

Was this her power?

_'Stark...this is...your reiatsu...I feel..._

Complete.

A feel of intense fufillment welled up from the depths of her soul. She felt like she'd achieved enlightnement, or whatever those humans called it. Whatever it was, she could not deny the surge of joy welling up deep inside her chest. Ichigo clearly noticed the look on her face. With a creaking sound, the fangs of his mask curved upward into a toothy grin, scary, but at the same time, genuine.**"Impressive, isn't it? All you need was a little push, huh?"** A grin that the fraccion soon found contagious, and soon she was smiling right alongside him.

**"She's coming." **His words abruptly drew her attention back to Ichigo, for he had now turned away, Zangetsu clenched tightly in the fingers of his right hand. Hastily, she picked herself up, clutching tightly her sword. **"Prepare yourself, Lillinette." **He warned her, and as if on cue, a spiral of white energy erupted into the air.

"Shunko!"

"I...you want me...to fight?" She couldn't believe it!

**"Yes, and try not to slow me down." **He added quietly.

A wide grin split her face.

"ALRIGHT!" She pumped a fist into the air, letting out a loud wary cry!"Yes, yes, YES! Finally, I've been wanting to do this for _so _long! Now, its my time to shine!" She briefly considered glomming her master, but that'd make him think she appreciated it. So instead, she just glanced at him.

"Erm...Thanks."

Ichigo nodded silently.

**"Go ahead."**

"Kick!" She barked with authority, eyes narrowing as she, threw her zanpaktou high into the air. With the release utttered, her weapon dissolved into a fine mist that coated her skin, shattering the horned helmer she wore, and allowing her green hair to spill out behind her back. Seconds later, her entire body began to glow an intense pink, and her eyes slid shut as she basked in the glow of pure reishi. The powers that had long since lain dormant within her core now raged wildly against the barriers that held them, demanding release as they pushed against the confines of her soul...

And the walls holding her strength back came crashing down!

"Los Lobos!"

As everything was lost in the light, Ichigo smirked.

**"Incredible...**

--

**Next time: Slave**

**(Preview)**

"You belong to me now, shinigami." Ichigo snarled, stomping on her back, drawing a pained whimper from the woman as he ground his heel down into the still fresh wound. "You will serve no one but me. Your body and soul are mine. You will follow my every command, and no other's. You will kill when I tell you to kill, you will speak when I tell you to speak, and sleep when I tell you to sleep, and so on. If you do _not_ do these things, then hell itself will seem pleasant compared to what I have in store for you."

"Y-Yes master." She whispered, her mind battered and broken from the intense torture subjected to her by Tatsuki's Kyouka Suigetsu. It'd taken days to break this soul reaper, and , and granted, Tatsuki didn't really know he'd taken it when she wasn't looking, but he planned to have it back before she noticed. "I am at your command."

He removed his foot from her back.

"Who do you serve?"

"I serve only my lord and master Ichigo Kurosaki."

"Rise. Rise and tell me your name."

"Yes master." She picked herself up. "My name is...

**?! Who did Ichigo capture?! Rangiku or Soi-fon?!**


	16. A Broken Slave

**This chapter shall prove how evil Ichigo can really be when you mess with his friends!**

"Kick About!" She barked with authority, eyes narrowing as she, threw her zanpaktou high into the air. With the release utttered, her weapon dissolved into a fine mist that coated her skin, shattering the horned helmet she wore, and allowing her green hair to spill out behind her back. Seconds later, her entire body began to glow an intense pink, and her eyes slid shut as she basked in the glow of pure reishi. The powers that had long since lain dormant within her core now raged wildly against the barriers that held them, demanding release as they pushed against the confines of her soul...

And the walls holding her strength back came crashing down!

"Los Lobos!"

As everything was lost in the light, Ichigo smirked.

**"Incredible...**

Soi fon looked on as the dome turned into a raging pillar of light, her face sent in a frown as the white energy of her kido raged about her body.

_'At this rate, I might have to use it...._

--

"..."

As the smoke cleared, his fraccion was revealed in all her glory. Dangling from her hands, she now wielded two ornamental guns, one that appeared to be longer than the other. Part of Lilynette's mask was still present on her head in the form of an eyepiece, stretching from the back of her head around to the left eye, with the flame pattern apparently changing at will to emerge from the eyepiece and follow the mask fragment around to the back of her head. The mask itself was still connected, by two chains, around the right eye, vaguely reminding Ichigo of Kenpachi's eyepatch.

But it was her _body_ that had gone through the most drastic of changes. No longer was she a short spry little thing, but rather, she had experienced a major growth spurt, in many more ways than one.

Her Arrancar outfit had changed drastically as well; though her upper body's open vest now sported a a fur-lined brassiere which contained a full cup of DD breasts. He figured she now stood roughly the same height as Soi fon, give or take an inch. Beneath this, her legs were covered in some kind of dark skin-tight white pants, accentuated with a dip in the waist, clearly outlining the curves of her full figured body. Oddly enough, knee-high fur leggings covering the lower legs, and though her arms kept the elbow gloves, they too were covered in some kind of elbow-length fur that appeared to end at her wrists.

Lastly, there are also appeared to be ribbon-covered bullet belts emerging from her upper back and disappearing into her upper forearms. Standing this close to her, it was easy to sense the killer intent radiating fromt he young woman that Lillenette had become. Slowly, she now rose from her crouch, short green hair framing the corners of her face, only ruffled by the occasional breeze.

"Eh?" She looked down at herself, slightly surprised at her well endowed figure. Her mouth now opened in a silent 0, as she realized exactly what she was gaping at. Dropping the pistols, she lowered both hands to feel at her chest, and the fleshy mounds that were now actual cleavage. "Eh?! What the hell?! I've got boobs! These weren't here before!"

Twisting her head, she now looked over her shoulder as best she could, and got a look at her full rear."Eh?!" and reached both hand down to make sure it was actually there, and she wasn't seeing things."Sonova bitch!" She shrieked in surprise as her finger closed around her behind, confirming that she did indeed have something there. "I didn't think I was gonna change this much!"

Inwardly however, she was thinking otherwise.

_'Holy shit...I look great!'_

Overall, her eyes, hair color, and voice were the only things that had stayed the same.

And apparently, she hadn't lost her fiery personality.

**"You...seem surprised." **Ichigo finally managed to say.

"Of couse I am!" She snapped, whirling about to face her master, the motion causing her bosom to bounce. Idly, she wassurprised that she didn't have to look up so much this time. "This is my first time releasing! Did you expect me to be all calm and cool about it?!"

**"Then could we save the mental breakdown for later?"**

"Alright then!" She grinned, snatching up her artillerly from the sands, cocking the barrel, and pointing them in the direction of a very surprised Shaolin. "Time for the ass kicking of your life, shinigami!"

Pink light radiated from their tips, ready to be released, the words bursting from her soul-

"Cero Metralleta!"

Already on the move, all Soi fon saw was the rush of red and pink screaming towards her. _'A weapon shooting that many doom blasts?! Impossible!'_ She barely evaded the wall of death that threatened to consume her, but neither did she escape entirely unscathed, for at that moment, Ichigo appeared behind her, seized her by the shoulder...horns pointed squarely at her back.

Before she could even struggle, the red orb pressed itself into flesh.

**"Cero."**

With a dull WHUMP the cero burned its power into her skin, baking bone and sinew like a hot potato, throwing her into the sands with a mighty explosion of dust and dirt. **"Lillenette!" **Ichigo called, and one the ground, his fraccion nodded, whipping both pistols around to catch the still stunned captain dead in her sights.

"Now eat this!" Lillenette leapt high into the air as she called out the name of her special attack, both pistol's already alight with reiyroku. _"Cero Metralleta Doble!"_ they both cried out at once, the first barrage, Ichigo's cero rained down a heavy hail of cero's into the crater, with Lillenette following suit as he too fired a deadly barrage of red into the miniature firestorm they had created.

If not for the raging wall of kido spiraling about her, the hollow flash would've almost certainly been fatal. She was already running on her life force, there wasn't really any point in holding back anymore.

"Bankai!" She cried, and a golden flash of light consumed her right arm, and was gone a moment later.

"Jakuhō Raikōben!" (_Hornet Thunder Whip_) Its appearance was now that of golden protective armor that encased her entire right arm, coming all the way above her shoulder to form a face shield, covering the right side of her face. It had size, like Ikkaku's bankai, but that was about it.

Nothing special really.

Or so he thought.

**"And how do you intend to fight with something that clunky?" **Ichigo called down to her. **"You'll never be able to outrun me now."**

"I have no intention of running." She replied simply, throwing off the sash around her waist. As if of its own accord, the cloth grew, extended, and coiled itself tightly about the pillar behind her. Slowly, the casing now slid off revealing a weapon with the similar make of a _missile_ attached to the base. Yellow eyes tripled as she leveled the launcher at the two of them, its purpose blatantly obvious. "And with this, I don't need to!"

One shot.

_'The hell..._

_...is that?!'_

All or nothing.

Summoning up as much strength as he could, Ichigo raised Zangetsu high with one hand, and gathered reiatsu in between his horns. **"Something tells me we don't want to be hit by that."** Lillenette slapped a cartridge into each of her pistols, and leveled them at the proud captain as well. "So?! Let's shoot her down before she gets a chance to fire it!"

**"Agreed."**

As one, they released their best technique!

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

"Cero Metralleta!"

Just as the combined doom blast and Tenshou wave, a terrifying mix of blackish pink, shot forward, so too did the giant missile. But the might of a single captain was no match for them. Effortlessly, their combined attack sliced threw the explosive, consumed its explosion, racing forward to consume their prey!

Desperate, Soi fon threw up her arms to block...

And everything went black.

--

(Later)

When she came to she regretted it immediately.

Captured.

Failure.

Disgrace.

Weakling.

She'd lost, she knew that much by the mangled condition of her right arm,and the shattered Suzemabachi that lay in the corner of the room. She tried to recall what had happened, and unbidden, the memories rushed down upon her.

Captains' Kuchiki, Hitsugaya and Kenpachi had pulled back to Soul Society after her defeat, taking with them what was left of the strike force. For some reason, the enemy commander, Ichigo of course, hadn't killed her, but only because a woman with teal hair begged him not to.

But still, it haunted her.

_'Why spare me...?'_

What can you do? What can you say? You have no use for us anymore, trash trash, you are nothing but trash, useless,useless,uselesss, pitiful little girl, you have no place amongst us, you are weak, weak, weak...

It went on like this endlessly.

_'Stop stop stop stop....Make it stop, make it stop, please please, no more...no...more..._

After what seemed like forever, the images, the pain, and the voices finally let her be. With gasp of raw agony, she slumped forward, but was unable to hit the ground, unable to pass into the blissful slumber of death.

"Oh Soi fon, Yoruichi would be so dissapointed if she were to see you like this."

"Just kill me." The captain wanted to say, but instead her body screamed until she was hoarse, for her mouth refused to form the words.

"No one will come for you. They think you're dead."

Yes, she knew that was likely, but still she refused to believe it.

"Who do you serve?" He asked again.

"Bite me." She suddenly spat, head hung low, lacking the strength to move her shredded body, but still possesing enough willpower to make her tone cold and biting, coming out as little more than a defiant sneer. "I refuse to help you, traitorous bastard!."

"Bite you?" Ichigo made a face at her offensive words. "And why would I do that?" He sounded mildly offended. "I don't enjoy the taste of human and shinigami flesh, I prefer ramen, _thank you very much_." His expression softened, slightly as he crouched down to meet her eye to eye. "If you'd just answer me, I'd be _happy_ to let the guards feed you."

Her stomach growled longingly in response.

"How long has it been since your last meal?" He baited her. "Three days? Four?"

"I'm not hungry," She lied through her teeth. "I refuse to eat your food."

"You'll collapse if you don't eat or drink."

"Screw you."

_'It might be drugged."_

"Even shinigami have to eat."

"..."

"Here, let me loosen the chains so you can at least breathe. It wouldn't do if you tried to strangle yourself."

The chains, shackles whichs bound her arms and legs to the wall, were now just loose enough for her to hang forward. But then again, she knew a thing or two about torture, and knew that this gesture did not stem from kindness. He'd done this for a reason, and that reason was-

"Ah!" She cried, as planted a foot on her back, and began to push her forward, forcing her arms out. The chains creaked and groaned in protests as bone gritted against bone, strained to the breaking point, and by now it felt as if her shoulders were about to be torn clear off her body. The pain was indiscripable, blotting out all else from her mind. "Ah! AAAAH!"

"All you have to do is say the magic words. Pledge your undying loyalty to me, and I'll stop."

"Piss off!"

"Wrong answer."Ichigo snarled, stomping on her back, drawing a pained whimper from the woman as he ground his heel down into the still fresh wound. She spasmed slightly, unable to hold back the cry of agony that ripped forth from her lips.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!"

"Answer me."

"Never!"

"Very well then. Onto plan B."

She expected pain, but when it did not come, she dared to open one eye. What she saw made her blood run cold. That tan skin, those keen golden eyes, the way her long violet hair spilled out over her shoulders, there was no mistaking the identity of the one who stood before her.

"L-Lady Yoruichi! What're you doing here?!"

"Soi fon, you're so pathetic."

"What?"

A hard backslap rocked her world, and sent the stars reeling before her vision. Stunned, the captain stared up at her idol, confused, and hopelessly lost as to why she had been struck so violently, for no rhyme or reason.

"Y-Yoruichi-sama...you're siding with the enemy...

"And a wise decision it was." The Goddess of Flash purred smoothly, stepping back to drape an arm around Ichigo's shoulder, much to close for comfort, in the eys of the stealth force leader. "Unfortunately, it seems you're simply too stubborn to care about what I do or say anymore."

"It's a shame really." The vizard smirked, running an arm down Yoruichi's back, and drawing her close to him. "She really is a fine woman. Any man or woman would be lucky to call her their own." Their lips were a mere centimeter apart now, and much to her dismay, she looked on as Yoruichi leaned in to crush her lips against Kurosaki's.

The mere sight of such a thing drove Soi fon _mad_.

Yoruichi-sama as kissing someone, and it wasn't her!

"S-Stop it!" She wailed in protest! "Yoruichi-sama, how can you _kiss_ a horrible man like him?! Do you have any idea what he's done?! Do you know how many lives he's taken?! He's the enemy! The enemy!"

"Aw poor thing, are we jealous?" Yoruichi cooed, breaking the kiss to lick at her lips and stare at Soi fon. "Well, if that's the case...

"Th-That's not it!" Soi fon blushed furiously, looking away, wishing the pesky vizard would just go away so they could have some privacy .Maybe, just maybe, if she was honest with Yoruichi, she'd see the error of her ways and help her escape . "I...It's...something more...Something I've been wanting to say... for a long time...

"Oh?" The bronze woman arched an eyebrow as she broke away from the strawberry, and approached her former subbordinate. "So you've been keeping a secret from me?" Crouching down, she tipped up her chin with a finger, the movement so gentle, so simple, that it sent a shiver down the captain's spine. "Enlighten me then, my little bee. Won't you tell me this little secret of yours?"

"..." It came out so softly that she wasn't surprised when her superior didn't hear it.

"Speak up."

"I...I love you! I've loved you ever since I laid eyes on you, lady Yoruichi!" The words burst from her chest, to her throat, and were out before she could bring them back, and oh how she wished she could! That was it, the cat was out of the bag, no pun intended. For what seemed like an eternity, Yoruichi remained silent, and that space of ten seconds were worse than any torture.

At last, she spoke, and her words sent Soi fon's heart aflutter.

"So that's it? You _love _me?" Her eyes seemed to soften at Soi's word's and she raised a hand to gently caress the latter's cheek. "How cute." This drew a single tear from the face of the captain. Lady Yoruichi had accepted her feelings! She did not spurn her affection, but instead welcomed it with open arms! At that moment, if she were to have died, she would've died happily, but then Yoruichi spoke again. "Then why don't you stay here with me, hmm? I'm sure Ichigo wouldn't mind sharing me with you."

_'Share?'_

"I don't see any problem with that." The vizard replied somewhere out of sight, suddenly calm, composed even.

Golden orbs seemed to sparkle as they stared lovingly back at her.

"Well, what do you say?"

Love contested with duty and won out, but even so, she could not bear the thought of being near that traitor. He'd tossed her aside like she was nothing, and try as she might, she'd have to be a sniveling coward to give into a deal like that.

"Forgive me, but...I...can't."

Soft eyes narrowed furiously, and in the blink of an eye, she had Soi fon by the hair, the smaller woman crying out in surprised pain as her gaze was forcefully _dragged _upward to meet that of her superior's. "Get real! I won't tolerate excuses Soi fon! If you're that stubborn, then there's no way in hell I'd accept the love of a proud weakling like you! Forget I even said anything at all!"

Hot tears, held back for the longest time, nowstreamed down the younger's face as she she was released. "I'm done here." Yoruichi clapped her hands decisively, and strode down the corridor leading to the exit, gradually fading into the distance. A sense of utter hopelessness enveloped Soi fon as she watched Yoruichi go, making even death seem mercifu. So this was how it felt to be utterly and entirely rejected, her very existence stripped bare by the only individual she ever cared for.

When the door slammed shut, her heart shattered into a thousand pieces.

Yoruichi was everything to her. She was her world. Soi fon adored her, saw her as Goddess in human form. There was no flaw in the Goddess of Flash, she was perfection defined, if there was such a thing.

She could think of nothing else, there was _no one else._

So distraught was she, that the shinigami missed the sound of a sword being sheathed, and the rematerialization of a rather infamous zanpaktou. "See what that petty pride did of yours earned you? A big fat zero."

"Urusai!" She sobbed, unable to take it anymore as the tears blurred her vision, rendering him little more than a dark blur in her sights. "Leave me alone!"

"Yes, for all the trouble you're worth, I suppose I should leave you here to rot." He turned to go, but stopped after he'd taken half a step. "But then again, Yoruichi wouldn't like that, now would she?" He shook his head, as if speaking with someone. "No," His gaze hardened as he advanced upon her, until their faces were mere centimeters apart. "It'd be a total waste to just kill you. You'd probably want to die anyway. No, I sacrificed three hundred arrancar, a third of my fighting force, to capture one captain, and I have no intention of surrenduring my prize so easily."

"What do you have to offer me?" She muttered.

Oh yes, at last!

She was wavering!

"Yoruichi, for starters. I have no real interest in keeping her to myself." A blatant lie. "Yoruichi wasn't even _here_, he'd just deceived Soi fon with an intricate illusion to break here spirit. But then again, she wasn't likely to realize his trickery anytime so, not with what he had in store for her next. "You may have her all to yourself, if you wish."

Her heart ached at his words, and against her prideful will, she spoke in a choked tone.

"I...accept your terms. Now release me!"

"Ah ah," He wagged a finger at her. "First...

Something cold and round was pressed to her chest. Briefly, she recognized it as the hogyoku taken by Aizen. Her eyes widened as the changes began. "I can't risk you trying to kill me in my sleep, now can I?" Too late, she realized what was happening to her, but the impressive willpower she had once possessed was no longer there. Her pride was useless, a mere shadow of her former self.

"Whichi is why you need to be a little more...

Shinigami were naturally resistant to being changed as such, but that only stemmed from the desire to resist the change. Soi fon's spirit had been bent and broken to such an extent, that she was completely and entirely helpless to the small hole opening in her abdomen.

"Submissive." He finished, as she gasped for breath, the sclera of her eyes now an eerie pitch black. Stripped of her pride and willpower, Soi fong was a mere shadow of her former self, completely and utterly broken.

"You belong to me now." Ichigo hissed in her ear as he severed the chain around her waist, the transformation complete in an instant. "You will serve no one but me. Your body and soul are _mine, _to do with as I please." The bands around her knee's were the next to go. "You will follow my every command, and no other's, not even those of Yoruichi." Her legs were now free. "You will kill when I tell you to kill, you will speak when I tell you to speak, and sleep when I tell you to sleep, and so on." The chains holding her arms were the next to shatter." If you do these things, then I promise to let you out of here. Hell, maybe you'll be loved once you're free, maybe you'll find a purpose here.

He paused from breaking the last shackle, a heavy iron reiatsu absorbing collar around her neck, attached to the wall by a thick barbed chain. "But!" He glared at her in warning. "If you do _not_ do these things, then hell itself will seem pleasant compared to what I have in store for you."

"Y-Yes master." She whispered, her mind battered and broken from the intense torture subjected to her by Tatsuki's Kyouka Suigetsu. In truth, Ichigo was relieved. It'd taken _days_ to break this soul reaper, and granted, Tatsuki didn't really know he'd taken her weapon when she wasn't looking, but he planned to have it back before she noticed, which would be very soon at this rate. "I am at your command."

With the sound of rending metal, he crushed the last chain beneath his heel, and she fell to the cold, dank stone floor. Her body refused to move, but to make sure, he planted his foot firmly on her back.

"Who do you serve?"

"I serve only my Lord and master Ichigo Kurosaki." She replied solemnly.

He removed his foot, and extended a hand to her.

"Rise." He ordered."Take my hand, rise, and tell me your name."

"Yes master." She took his hand, and he helped her up, allowing her to lean against him for a second, as her new body struggled to regain its inner balance. She really hadn't changed that much, aside from the hollow hole, mask fragment that ran outward from her head into a small tiara, and the slight paleness of her alabaster skin, she looked basically the same. "My name is...Shaolin Fong."

She bowed meekly when she could stand again.

"Please feel free to utilize me however you see fit, master!"

"Good girl." He patted her on the head, and the remaining chains clattered to the floor about her. "Now, tell me all you know about Soul Society."

"What dose my master wish to know?" She blinked at him, completely devoid of defiance.

"Everything."

--

**(Meanwhile/Prison)**

Jacqli rounded a corner, following the steam of curses that had led her hear. With an ominous creak, the rusted door opened before her, and she entered. Contained with the room where the visored, each heavily chained in reaitsu cuffs, their zanpaktou stored in a nearby crate, guarded by Saito, their newest arrancar recruit.

The poor soul had his ears plugged, due to the incessant profanities the shortest member of the 'masked army' kept uttering. Red bags hung under the tan skin of his eyes, indicating he likely hadn't gotten much sleep lately.

"Lord Ichigo sent me to take over. Go get yourself some rest, comrade" She gently instructed the man, who nodded gratefully and bowed to her. When he spoke, his tone had a slight british accent to it. "Many thanks, m'lady."

"Quit it with the Friggin accent!" The abrasive voice of the blond rang through the room again.

"You haven't changed a bit, Hiyori." Hikirio sighed to herself.

"Eh?" The rambunctious blond peered at her from across the room, then her eyes went wide. That face, there was absolutely no way she could ever forget that face, and even if she could, there was no mistaking that voice! "EH?! C-Captain?!"

"It's been awhile, hasn't it?"


	17. Affection? Or Something Else?

"Ah, Izuru-kun, did you hear about Byakuya-kun?" Kyoraku took his place in line, but not without saying this first to their newest captain, promoted only a month before this crisis. "He was the one who volunteered to lead the strike team into Hueco Muendo." Of course that was basic knowledge, everyone knew full well of the grudge he'd been holding against Kurosaki since Rukia's death.

Kira shook his head, but managed a small smile as he took his postion. "No, and I'm sorry for being so out of the loop." His expression was strained, and it was obvious as to why. "I had to go check up on Rangiku-san. She hasn't been herself lately."

"Matsumoto will be fine." Captain Hitsugaya was already here of course, though there was no mistaking the troubled look set upon his face, and the cold bite of his tone. His left arm was currently in a cast, preventing him from folded both arms across his chest as he normally did. "Besides, I think we have more urgent matters to worry about, wouldn't you agree?"

Even Kyoraku winced at the remark, knowing this was a sore subject for Izuru.

There was now no mistaking the flash of anger tightening the blonde's eyes, and they way they narrowed into furious cerulean slits.

"_Captain_ Hitsguaya, I would thank you not to speak that way about my fiance."

"Hey, Jushirou, didn't you decide not to go?" Shunsui now asked his closest friend, entering closely through the door soon after their own entrance, and wisely choosing to change the subject while he could.

"Fortunately, I opted out of it." Ukitake sighed, shoulders drooping slightly, taking his own place as well. A look of intense sadness passed across his face. "But still, sending only four captains but a mere _tenth_ of our unranked officers... What is central forty-six thinking?" The death toll had been high, needless to say. Five hundred shinigami dead or missing. Squad seven had lost a lieutenant, squad eleven both its fifth and third seat, but squad two had been hit the hardest, losing both its captain _and _lieutenant in the fighting, and with no suitable replacement for either, the stealth force was in complete disaray.

Capture by the enemy was unlikely, but still, losing a captain?

Though Aizen, Kaname, and Ichimaru had each been replaced by their lieutenant's, the loss of yet another captain had hit them hard. Not to say that their replacements' weren't up to snuff, its just that most of them, Kira being the sole exception, had been promoted out of necessity, and were thusly more than a little wet behind the ears.

"They're not." Hisagi Shuuhei. Blunt and to the point as usual, with no respect for the higher ups. "Maybe if those idiots from the noble families had half a brain in those withered old skulls...

"Be silent, captain of squad nine." Great, now Byakuya was here, and apparently the battle had done little to diminish his sense of pride. "You should not let your personal feelings influence your judgement."

"I could say the same for you, Kuchiki." Kenpachi suddenly countered out of nowhere, knowing full well of the vendetta the Kuchiki bore against Ichigo. "You were pretty determined to find Kurosaki during the battle." That kid owed him a rematch! And he'd be damned if he let that stupid noble get his prey first!

"Hmmph!" Snorted Mayuri." And you're no better Zaraki! You defied a direct order to fight that ryoka!"

"You wanna say that again?!"

"Do not raise yoru voice to me, insolent cretin!"

"Everyone please!" Hinamori was the next to arrive, and almost immediately, the full force of their arguement assaulted her ears like a hurricane. Oh, she just _hated_ it when everyone fought, and they'd been bickering about all sorts of things every since she and and Hisagi were promoted to captain's."I know we're all on edge here, but-

"We're only helping the enemy by fighting amonst each other." Unohana finished quietly the sentence for the captain of squad five, drawing everyone's attention to her. "Now, if you all don't mind, I'd like to keep this as civil as possible, so we can come to a solution." And the quarrel died on the spot.

Yamamoto rapped his cane upon the floor with authority, silencing the dull drone of conversation. In all the chaos, he'd been forced to return from his retirement, reinstated to command by the executive order of the newly elected central forty six.

"Enough! This meeting of the captain's will come to order! We have much to discuss!"

It was not lost on those present, that he did not address them as the thirteen captain's.

"Ahem." He coughed into his fist, beginning the meeting, "Now, regarding the matter of captain Soifon's death...

--

(Hueco Muendo)

He emerged from the holding cell, leading a still nervous Shaolin by the arm. She'd told him a great deal about Soul Society, right down to the shift of the guards. It was more than he needed, but information that certainly wasn't going to be wasted.

"So?"

He looked to the right, where Lillenette was sitting on a nearby ledge. She seemed content enough, swinging her legs to and fro, however, her expression said otherwise, for she stared with a critically at her master, but in actuality, she was peering at Soifon intently.

"So what?" He yawned, continuing off down the corridor without any explanation, his newest servant following close behind.

"Hey!" The girl sqwuaked, rolling her vibrant pink eyes in exasperation and jumping off her perch to pursue him. "That's not fair!" the fraccion whined, running as fast as her legs could carry her, yet she was having difficulty keeping up, due to his long stride. "Damnit Ichigo, don't just walk away like that! Wait for me!"

After the battle, and much to her dismay, she'd found that once she sealed her newfound powers back into sword form, so to did she seal her new body along with them. In short, she was still a little kid, both inside and out, until she released.

What made it even more annoying, was the fact that she had to take a nape almost immediately after resealing her powers. Whether it was just from sheer exhaustion, or because she was still a 'snot nosed brat' as Apache called her, she knew not, but she did know one thing.

Kami, she _hated_ being little!

--

(Flashback)

"Sonova bitch." Ichigo gasped as he shook himself free from the last of the zanpaktou's tentacles, his limbs trembling from the movemen, the mask crumbling off his face. "That was too close." Shortly after their fight with Soifon, a furious Yumichika had happened upon them, got Ichigo by surprise, and nearly killed him with that kido zanpaktou of his.

Thankfully, Lillenette had been aways behind him, and from there, it was an easy matter to turn the fifth seat to dust with a cero. With the loss of another seated officer, the enemy had begun to retreat, but the incessant barrage of cero from Lillenette's Los Lobos had helped convince them nonetheless.

"Scram." She hissed, her guns leveled squarely at one Byakuya Kuchiki, who had happened upon them just as she snuffed out the life of Yumichika. She'd been able to keep him at bay with her unusual fighting style, but by now, she was nearly on empty.

"You've done well, but now, you're barely standing. How do you expect to hold me off?"

"I'll figure something out." Lillenette smirked, defying his attempts to get past her, swatting away his shikai with another cero. "But if all you can do is throw flower petals at me, then I don't have to worry about it."

"Then turn to dust before me along with him." He held his blade out to the ground...

"Byakuya." Ichigo gasped, staggering to his feet. "Don't you dare...

"Bankai."

Steel grey eyes tripled as the demon turned its full fury upon him.

**"NO!"**

A white blur slammed into him, then Ichigo was ripping and slashing at the captain with his bare hands alone, determined to prevent another death, and especially hellbent on killing the proud Kuchiki. Yet his strikes were sluggish and slow, the effects of Yumichika's shikai still plaguing him. Senbonzakura leapt into his flesh, but was unable to pierce through the passive effect of hierro, and what did get through drew little more than papercuts.

Byakuya seemed to realize this, that Ichigo couldn't harm him, but neither could he _be_ harmed. After what seemed like an eternity, Ichigo at last managed to get behind the Kuchiki with his horns, but at the exact same time, Byakuya pulled the petals back into blade form, and held those blades directly over the vizard's head.

"A draw."

"I don't think so-

"Cero." A wall of viridian light interrupted the stalemate, splitting the ground between them and forcing the two away. The smoke cleared with the wind, and there stood Neliel, with Lillenette ten other numerous behind her.

"Byakuya Kuchiki, I suggest you leave." To make her point, she unsheathed her sword, pointing the silvery edge of Gamuza at his throat. "Now."

"Hmmph. This is far from over, hollow."

"Do not test me." She replied coldly, drawing a sliver of blood down his skin. "It is pity alone that stays my hand. Make no mistake _captain, _I will kill you, should you stay, andthe odds are not in your favor."

If not for her, he'd be dead by now.

"I owe you one, Lillenette." He clasped her gratefully on the shoulder, and she blushed pink. "If there's ever anything you need, just let me know."

"Eh...ehehehe," She tried to laugh it off, but he hadn't let go of her shoulder, and quite frankly, some small part of her didn't want him to. "I-It was nothing really, now we're even!"

"No," He shook his head insistently, and even shook her lightly to prove his point. Whether he pulled her forward, or she took that small step, she was suddenly in his arms. "You gave me covering fire while I recovered, and Byakuya would've killed me if you hadn't been here. I'm not letting go until you admit we're _not_ even."

"Sh-Sheesh, y-you're persistent!" She sputtered, face burning brightly, but he refused to release her.

"C-C'mon, l-lemme go!"

"Not until you say it."

"F-Fine then, we're not even!"

"Good." He released, her and she took a step back to stifle a small sigh.

_'The hell is going on here? I feel....weird..._

In a flash of pink smoke, she suddenly found herself looking up at Ichigo again. Once glance at herself, and the sight of her sword at her feet, was enough to determine that she'd been forced back into her sealed form.

"Aw man!" She groaned, secretly dissapointed that the change wasn't permanent, but then gave a yawn as a wave of exhaustion washed over her, drowning out her frustration with weariness. "Hey...I'm...tired...

He caught her by the back before she fell, and as her eyes slid shut, he scooped her up in his arms, but by then she was already fast asleep. "Che, what strange girl." He sighed to himself as the fraccion began to snore. "I guess she really isn't used to resurreccion yet...

"Master!" Ying and Yang appeared before them both in a flourish of Sonido, killing it completely. "The enemy is retreating. What would you have us do?"

A snarl escaped his lips.

It felt...kinda nice to have some semblance of normalcy, even if it was only for a moment.

But now it was back to business.

"Pursue them." Ichigo commanded, waving a hand to the fleeing masses behind him, some stopping to help the wounded, others just flat out running for their very lives. "Tell Grimmjow and the others to hunt down every single one, and make sure they don't have time to regroup or leave anyone here." His next words carried great weight to them. "Do not, uner any circumstances, engage the other captains, do you understand?"

They hesitated.

"I've lost enough lives already, and I'd rather keep the lot of you alive." Even without the mask, he could be scary when he wanted to be, and he made proof of that by staring them bith down over the chiseled features of his war weary face. "Is there a problem with that?"

"No sir! We'll leave at once!" The twins gave a curt bow and sped past them, careful to harass the shinigami, but not engage in any unecesarry battles, especially with three of the four captains still lurking about.

Leaving Ichigo to stare down at the motionless body of Soifon. After a moment, she groaned, and tried to rise. A scowl twisting his face, the vizard kicked her back down, so she could stare up at him.

"M'lord!" Ichigo looked up to see an arrancar kneeling before him. "I have an important message."

"What is it?"

"A team of shinigami have infiltrated our castle!" Brown eyes narrowed into slits. "We have succesfully eliminated the assasins, but the human girl, Arisawa-

"Tatsuki!" His heart skipped a beat. "What happened?! Is she alright?!"

"M'lord, she is fine, she merely fainted from exhaustion during the fight."

"Fight?!"

With a hiss, the vizard returned his attention to Soifon.

"You! You were a diversion weren't you?!"

Soifon glared at him.

"What do you people have against me?! Why do you insist upon killing those precious to me?!"

She spit at him, and with a roar, he pressed Zangetsu to her throat.

"Answer me you bitch!"

"She is the key to everything."

"Explain!"

"I suppose I should," The proud woman sneered up at him. "Humans are not meant to have spiritual powers. It tips the scale between our worlds and upsets the balance. Once she dies, once you die, the world will be in balance again, preventing the collapses and _its _return. It's that simple."

_'It?'_

"Now kill me." She sighed, looking away. "I've been disgraced."

"Fortunately for you, I'm willing to oblige!"

"Ichigo!"

Cold steel was brought to his throat.

"Nel, do you have any idea what you're doing?"

"Ichigo, don't." She replied.

"You...want me to spare her?" He gave her an incredulous look, just seconds away from ending it.

Neliel shook her head. "Don't make me turn my sword upon you, Ichigo, but I will kill you if I must."

"You wouldn't...He simply could not believe what she was saying!

"I would go to great lengths to have back the Ichigo I once knew." The espada replied solemnly, her hazel eyes reflecting nothing, just a hint of sadness. "But because he _obviously_ isn't here at the moment, I will do my best to make you remember him, no matter the cost."

"M'lord." The messenger spoke up again. "Might I offer a solution?"

"Speak."

"Would it not demoralize the Seireitei if we were to hold her captive?"

"Just kill me."

"No."

Her eyes went wide, she brought Suzemabachi to her throat-

Without another word, Ichigo whirled and kicked her hard in the head, and she was rendered unconcious, denied the chance to comit suicide, and her one chance at freedom.

"Sorry," Ichigo spit, as her eyes closed into forced slumber. "I'm not feeling merciful today."

_(End Flashback)_

--

_(Elsewhere)_

"Hey, umm... why did you bring me here?" Tatsuki was finally able to speak properly once Nel removed the hand covering her mouth and took away the blindfold. She'd been dragged the the deepest part of the castle by now, and quite honestly, she was getting kinda nervous.

"What is Ichigo to you?"

"Eh?" She didn't get it at first, but then her face turned a heated scarlet as her mind realized the implication of such a question. Face burning, she turned away, refusing to answer seriously "Eh?! W-What kind of question is that?! Y-You can't just go around asking people that!"

"Is he important to you?" Neliel pressed her with questions.

"Um....Uh, y-yeah!" She finally managed to sputter out hastily. "He's an important, er uh, friend! Yeah that's it! He's an important friend!"

"I see," Her expression hopeful a second ago, now became a frown. "Then as his friend, I need your help."

"Sure?" She blinked in confusion.

"He's been...different lately." She began, looking away. "He's becoming really violent, and I don't think he'll listen to me anymore, not at this rate. If this were to continue, I'm afraid he might-

"Wait, what?"

"He's killing needlessly. To put it simply, I need you to persuade him to think about what he's doing."

"Hey wait a sec!" She waved both hands emphatically. "What makes you think I can persuade him to do anything?! He never listened to me when we were kids, so why would he ever listen to what I have to say now?!"

"He speaks with you everyday, does he not?"

"Well-

"You have Kyouka Suigetsu, don't you?"

"Yeah but-

"You are aware of its power?"

"Sure, but I-

"You know how to use it?"

"Damnit!" Tatsuki burst out, shoving her back! "Let answer one question before you give me another! The answer is yes to all of them! Now give me some room!"

"So, will you help me?"

_'Ah, I've got a bad feeling about this..._

"Why me? And what do I need to do anyways-"

Neliel whispered it into her ear, and her face turned scarlet!

"Nani?! You're crazy! Ichigo's not that kinda guy!"

--

"Therefore, I expect each of you to treat our guest with the utmost of respect."

Standing some ways off to the side was Szayel, and he was the first one to speak, once Ichigo had explained the situation to all those present. However, everyone shuddered at the enthusiasm with which he spoke.

"Amazing. A fine specimen indeed! To create such a powerful being from a captain, simply wonderful!"

The once proud woman gave a small squeak, quailed, and slid behind Ichigo to avoid the keen stare. This annoyed the strawberry, not because she was hiding, but because she was now officially a comrade in arms, and he would not allow any of his allies, especially those who served directly under him, to be viewed as nothing more than a piece of meat.

"You're compliment is...appreciated, Szayel Apporo."

"Pervert." Muttered Saita.

"Ecchi." Added Ying and Yang, draw some snickers from the other arrancar.

"Yes, could you please keep your preferences to yourself?" Ulquiorra surprised everyone by adding that, and even Grimmjow gave a low whistle in appreciation of the searing embarassment the scientist had just been dealt.

Ichig chuckled as the teasing dissolved into harmless banter between everyone.

Even if they had been the enemy, if one served him, then there was no reason to bring then undo harm. He liked to believe that he treated those on his side, his allies, friends and minions alike, with kindness.

No one was pure evil, this was his belief.

It was something that he _insisted_ seperated him from Aizen.

"Alright, that's enough." He finally brought himself back to more serious matters."I'm sure you're all wondering why I've called you here. You see, I've realized something during last week's battle. Each of you is exceptionally powerful, and each of you excel in one particular field. However, there are some of you," His gaze passed over them as a whole, piercing keenly through them as he gazed down from the throne, "Excel above even those of the espada. Therefore-

With a snap of his fingers, another table, this made of black, ornate onyx, and complete with the same set of seats, rose from the floor. Each seat had a number emblazoned on it, ranging from one to ten, much like the table at which the espada had once sat, though each digit was carved into the stone with a blood red mark.

"The new elite ranking system, in addition to, yet above even that of the espada, will be Los Diablos.** (The demons) **We'll continue the tests first thing tomorrow morning, and until then you're free to do whatever you want-

His gaze narrowed as some turned to go.

"So long as you follow the rule."

A few stiffened at his words, but soon the assembly hall had emptied. Turning to Shaolin he issued her an order. "Go seek out Kukkaku Shiba. She'll be on the upper level terrace. Whne you find her, ask her to train you, and be sure to mention I'd appreciate it. As you are now, you're far to slow to utilize Sonido properly."

"Does master not wish to train me as well?"

She sounded...sad.

Surprised by this, Ichigo shook his head.

"No, I'll... pass this time."

"Then...um, can _you_ train me next time, master? Lillenette-sama told me you have the fastest sonido."

Now outright startled, Ichigo peered at her intently. What was the meaning of this? Did she still have free will, even after the transformation? But no, all he saw was open, and innocent hope in her eyes, bordering on naievete.

No, what was he thinking? She was a hollow, not a mindless puppet.

...Sure." He finally muttered. "We'll do something tomorrow," Though he knew not why, he was glad he had his mask to cover his face at the moment.

"Thank you very much for listening to my selfish request, master." She gave him a pure smile, followed by a low bow, and when she stood up, it had not faded in the least. "I'm so happy." Walking down the steps, she departed, leaving Ichigo to ponder what exactly he had just done. A few moments of silence, and the vizard pulled off his mask to stare at it. _'Am I doing the right thing? _For a second, he received a horrifying image of himself and shuddered at it.

_Heh, I'm proud of ya partner. _The warm blood in his veins froze at the sound of his voice._ Pretty nice setup ya have here. Everyone under yer thumb, a cadre of beautiful women who'd die for ya, damn, gotta admit, I'm jealous._

_'No, no, I'm doing the right thing. I'm not a villain. I'm not..._

_Yeah, keep telling yourself that..._

Whispers alerted him, and he slipped back on the mask.

"Come out." Ichigo called, "All three of you." In a flourish of sonido, Apache, Sun-Sun, and Mila-Rose appeared before him, each of them kneeling in respect, looking down in humility. Rising from the throne, he slowly descended the steps to meet them, a cold look in his eyes and being spied upon. "What brings you here. Have you anything to report?"

Sun-Sun handed him a list of new recruits they had received over the past two days, over a thousand, to be exact. He needed to inspect them, to determine whether they were capable of becoming arrancar. Mila Rose also reported that they'd succesfully driven away the last of the shinigami, but that they needed more medics to handle the two hundred wounded in their sickbay.

"Oh, and Arisawa wants to see ya." Apache grumbled finally.

--

(Ichigo's quarters)

"Ichigo? C-Could you shut the door?" Was the first thing he heard once he entered

"Tatsuki," He did as she asked, but suddenly felt uneasy. "Why the hell are the lights off?"

"You...um, can turn them on, if you want...

He flicked the switch and turned his head...

"Oi! What the hell?!"

**Next time: The Elite at Last! Diablos y Espada! The Ten Demons and Espada!**


	18. Bittersweet

Kenshin gave her an incredulous look.

"Miss Tatsuki, I do not think this is a wise idea, that I do not."

"Urusai!" She snapped at the arrancar, but her expression softened a second later when she realized he wasn't peeking whilst she changed, both her attire, along with the way she looked, adding curves where there had been none before, softer hair, a little more up top, and the like. "I'm not exactly fond of this idea either!"

"Yet your are selling yourself to him."

"Don't say it like that! I'll try to talk him down first-

"And if that doesn't work?"

"I-It will work!"

Kenshin looked like he wanted to say something more, but at that moment, the sound of the handle being turned alerted them.

"Go!" Tatsuki hissed, shoving him forward and away from the front door. "Out the back!"

After a brief moment of hesitation, he nodded, and departed.

And not a moment to soon.

--

"Ichigo? C-Could you shut the door?" Was the first thing he heard once he entered.

"Tatsuki," He did as she asked, but suddenly felt uneasy. "Why the hell are the lights off?"

"You...um, can turn them on, if you want...

He flicked the switch, turned his head...

"Oi! What the hell?!"

--

_(Flashback)_

"What is Ichigo to you?"

"Eh?" She didn't get it at first, but then her face turned a heated scarlet as her mind realized the implication of such a question. Face burning, she turned away, refusing to answer seriously "Eh?! W-What kind of question is that?! Y-You can't just go around asking people that!"

"Is he important to you?" Neliel pressed her with questions.

"Um....Uh, y-yeah!" She finally managed to sputter out hastily. "He's an important, er uh, friend! Yeah that's it! He's an important friend!"

"I see," Her expression hopeful a second ago, now became a frown. "Then as his friend, I need your help."

"Sure?" She blinked in confusion.

"He's been...different lately." She began, looking away. "He's becoming really violent, and I don't think he'll listen to me anymore, not at this rate. If this were to continue, I'm afraid he might-

"Wait, what?"

"He's killing needlessly. To put it simply, I need you to persuade him to think about what he's doing."

"Hey wait a sec!" She waved both hands emphatically. "What makes you think I can persuade him to do anything?! He never listened to me when we were kids, so why would he ever listen to what I have to say now?!"

"He speaks with you everyday, does he not?"

"Well-

"You have Kyouka Suigetsu, don't you?"

"Yeah but-

"You are aware of its power?"

"Sure, but I-

"You know how to use it?"

"Damnit!" Tatsuki burst out, shoving her back! "Let answer one question before you give me another! The answer is yes to all of them! Now give me some room!"

"So, will you help me?"

_'Ah, I've got a bad feeling about this..._

"Why me? And what do I need to do anyways-"

Neliel whispered it into her ear, and her face turned scarlet!

"Nani?! You're crazy! Ichigo's not that kinda guy!"

--

_'Or is he? Damnit, why'd I have to wear this..._

These, and more, were Tatsuki's thoughts, as she beheld the gobsmacked expression her best friend now wore. She couldn't yet be sure what his next reaction would be to what his eyes were telling him, but at the moment, she was thankful that she'd hidden her zanpaktou away and out of sight.

Yes, she did know about Kyouka Suigetsu's abilities, and yes, she did know how to use them, better than she let on at times, but intruding on Ichigo's mind like this, deceiving him, even if it was for a good cause...

Just felt _wrong_.

--

Almost immediately, he knew something was up.

"Oi! What the hell?!"

Granted, he hadn't seen Tatsuki in two weeks, but for her to have changed this much, was another story entirely. Her scruffy black hair, was now longer, smoother, shoulder length at best, perfectly framing the smooth corners of her jawline, but then his gaze traveled downward.

It occured to him that, outside of school, he'd never really seen her in anything but sweatshorts and a tank top.

But this...

This was on a whole different _plane_.

Her attire had changed significantly, and at best, it could be described as an exact copy of Halibel's, minus the abscence of an extended collar to cover her face. But despite this, what she _did_ wear barely covered her chest, the half jacket clearly strained to its limits, just by constraining her DD cup breasts.

Her hakama pants didn't even _start_ until after her hips. In fact, they only served to _accentuate_ the smooth curve of her waistline, soft, smooth creamy tan skin, just beggging to be touched...

A trickle of blood ran down from his nose, and the vizard hastily sucked it back in.

Thank kami she actually had some clothes on, even if they showed more skin than they were meant too...

If she didn't...

He shuddered at the thought, and it wasn't a bad shudder.

The young woman that sat on the bed before him...

Gave new meaning to the word temptation.

"Ta-Tatsuki...He managed at last, "What is th-that?"

"W-What?" She tried to keep the stammer away, yet failing miserably to do so as she averted her gaze from his, uncrossing her legs, and then crossing them again nervously, before she finall stood up, one hand over her chest as she s poke. "I wanted to change my look. Is that a crime?"

Something tugged at his mind, urging him to step forward....

_'Something's not right..._

He soon realized what it was, as a gleam of metal caught his eye.

Tatsuki had tossed Kyouka Suigetsu away just before he came in, but in doing so, she'd failed to fully hide it under the bed. The dim lightning now refracted off its polished edge, revealing its location.

Fire smoldering in his eyes, he glared at Arisawa for a moment, walked past her...

"What do we have here?"

And pulled out an unsheathed Kyouka Suigetsu. Scowling darkly, he jammed the blade back within its sheathe, thus cancelling the illusion, or so he thought, but the only thing that really changed was the expression she wore, now one of surprised fear. With a flick of his wrist, he threw the sheathed sword at her, forcing her to catch it out of the air, and throw it down on the floor in return.

Tatsuki refused to speak as he advanced upon her, but instead she backed up until she'd bumped against the wall.

Wham!

His open palm landed a centimeter from her face, whilst he leaned in to glare at her.

"It's a _crime_ when you lie to me!" He snarled , furious that she would dress herself up like some slut, lie to him, deceive him, and as a result, did not think before he spoke further. "Why are you wearing that anyway?! I have enough trouble keeping Grimmjow and the others in line and away from you, but now this?! Are you asking them to _take_ you on the spot?! Is that what you want?! HUH?!"

"I'm jealous." She muttered at last.

"What?" He took half a step back, suddenly aware of how close he'd come to seriously harming her. 'What did you-

"I'm jealous!" She shrieked! "And why shouldn't I be?! You surround yourself with a bunch of-of servant girls on a daily basis, and you don't seem to care that pretty much every female here would kill for the chance to fuck you senseless! And you don't do anything about! You're either the biggest idiot around, or the worst friggin playboy I've ever met!"

Her words cut deep.

"Hey, hold on a second-

Oh no, there was no _way_ she'd tolerate that.

"No, _you_ hold on a second!" She cried aloud, the water pooling in her eyes. "I'm sick and tired of this! First you save me from certain death, you have everyone idolize me like a princess with this whole 'no touching' rule, and then wham! You go off on this whole angsty revenge tangent and leave me here for days!"

"Tatsuki-

"And-And then you come back with Kukkaku-san! How am I supposed to compete with that, huh?! I mean look at her, the woman's in full bloom, and it'll take me at least a _decade_ to catch up to her! And now you've got that new servant, Soi-whatever her name is, and she'd kill herself if you asked her to!"

"Look-

_"Shut up!"_ She sobbed, the tears now flowing freely down her face, even as she continued her rant. "I said shut up, you selfish, inconsiderate, know it all dumbass jerk! Look at yourself, you're so blinded by this revenge and getting back what you lost! You haven't even taken the time to see what you still have!"

"..."

"I'm still here, Ichigo!" She refused to break from her tirade to rub at her eyes. "You haven't lost me yet! Can't you see that?! I'm right here, standing next to you, waiting for you to come back to yourself!"

"Kami," She laughed bitterly, shaking her head rapidly, as she covered her eyes. "I'm such an idiot for thinking I could talk you out of this. You never listen to me anyway, I don't know what I was thinking."

"That's not it damnit!!" He bellowed with such force that she actually took a step back in surprise, hitting her head against the wall in the process. He took two steps forward, and took her by the shoulders. "And you're not an idiot!"

"Well then I _am_ an idiot!"

"Hell no!"

"I am!" She insisted! "And I'm even more of an idiot for falling in love with you!"

They both froze.

Releasing her, Ichigo staggered backward, his mouth open in a silent 0.

"W-Wha?"

Turning a bright pink, Tatsuki uttered a small squeak, her face burning a brightly as she clamped both hands over her mouth, trying to snatch the words back from the air. But they were out there, it was out there now, and there was absolutely no chance of getting them back.

"Oh shit shit shit shit shit! I said it!"

_'Wait, why am I embarassed?'_

"H-How long?"

"Ever since we met! There, I said it, you-you baka yarou! Are you happy now?! Are you satisfied?!"

Tatsuki at last paused for breath, waiting for him to respond, tears still welling up in her eyes.

"Well....say something!"

"..." He looked away.

"Damnit Ichigo!" She begged, taking him by the shoulders. "Please!"

Moments later, her lips crushed against his own.

Tatsuki had no idea who'd initiated this kiss, and quite frankly, she didn't care. Permitting herself a strangle sigh, she threw herself around his neck, one hand tangled up in his spiky, strawberry hair, whilst the other looped itself around his neck.

It felt so good, that just for a _moment_, just for a second, he squeezed his eyes shut, and forced himself to enjoy the sensation of her tongue in his mouth. Slowly, his hands dropped, lowering themselves to her bare hips, as he pushed himself against her. A shudder went through her, and she whimpered into his mouth, eyes fluttering open for just a moment, then closing once more when they saw that he was indeed still there.

But then, just as quickly as it had come, he broke away from her.

_"C'mon!" _Hichigo shrieked at him, but he knew that if they lip locked again, then it'd become intimate. He-He just couldn't let that happen, not with his best friend. Every time he tried to think of her like that, he felt..._dirty_.

"...You can't ask me to do this." He shook his head slowly, taking her hands, and disentangling himself from her. "I can't just let them get away with what they've done. They want us dead. They're never going to stop, not unless-

_Unless they're ordered to._

Brown eyes widened slightly at this revelation.

Soul Society's King.

If the king gave them the order to stop, then they'd have to leave them be, right? And there was only one way to gain access to the realm of Soul Society's King. He'd need an Oken for that, and that meant...

He just needed to find another spirit enriched jirichi.

"That's it." A wide grin spread out over his face, his tone growing more enthused with every second. "That's it! Perfect! Awesome!" Caught unawares by his sudden outburst, Arisawa blushed lightly as his hands tightened their hold on her hips, and pulled her into a kiss that left her absolutely breathless. Suki, you're the best!"

_'Suki?'_

Further startled by the sudden use of her old nicknamre, Tatsuki could only blink in surprise as he now pulled away to lightly peck her on the cheek, the contact too brief to even compare to their intense lip lock of before, yet still, his kiss sent fireworks off inside her skull, dazing her.

And by the time she'd come to her senses...

He was gone.

"Hey! Ichigo! Get back here!"

**Review please! Oh, and if I could get some reviews for my newest story, El Diablo, I'd really appreciate it! **


	19. Bad Blood

Rolling her eyes, shoulders slumping in exasperation, Tatsuki fell back on the bed. He'd already dissapeared, and there wasn't any point in running after him, not this late at night.

But he'd been wrong about the illusion.

It wasn't a simple mind trick.

_And_ it _wasn't_ shikai.

These last two weeks hadn't exactly been wasted on her either.

Unsheathing Kyouka Suigetsu, the blade itself shimmered, and tomboy pulled out different weapon. "Well, that sucked." Its hilt was now that of a ten pointed diamond, and the hilt wrap had become a twisted mix of green and black. The blade itself was longer, and instead of its usual silvery color, its edge was a pure blood red, with serated grooves lining its surface.

She could make it any shape or form as she wished, but so too could she change other things.

Herself, for example.

With a sigh, she released control over the blade, and almost immediately, the changes reverted. Her clothing now sagged on her slightly, as her breasts shrank back to a C cup, her hips losing some, but not all of that voluptous curve, with her hair returing to its usual rough, short, and spiky look.

Lastly, she lost an inch or two, as her body returned to normal.

Entering her closet, she threw aside the arrancar outfit, and instead dressed herself in a much more comfortable attire, a simple pair of shorts and a white tee.

Frowning, she noticed just how loose the shirt felt against her chest.

"Hmm," She murmurred to herself, grasping the hilt of the transformed Kyouka Suigetsu, and focusing her mind on one point in particular. The hem of her shirt now lifted up slightly, as her C cup became a D cup.

Giving the two pillows a brief squeeze, Tatsuki nodded in agreement to herself.

"Much better."

_'Maybe I'll have a better chance of keeping him to myself if I keep 'these'._

But this cause was not without effect, for a wave of fatigue washed over her.

"Jeez, whoever said bankai was gonna be easy?" Tatsuki mumbled to herself, eyes sliding shut...

"It's a pain in the ass."

--

"Well?" Jacqli extended a hand to Hiyori. "Do you want to get out of there?"

The spitfire eyed her warily.

Granted, her captain had just spent several hours explaining everything to her, but she was still wary.

Why would her captain, now a hollow, be offering to help her out?

--

"Well?"

"There _is_ another jirichi, apart from Karakura." Szayel replied at last, sagging back in his chair with a yawn, exhaustion clear upon his face. He loved a challenge as much as the next, but it was _midnight already_, and even arrancar needed their sleep. "However...it might be _safer _if we utilized Karakura instead...

"What?" Ichigo frowned darkly. "Why-

"M'lord!"

Ichigo paused, looking up from the documents he and Szayel had been pouring over, just as speaker skidded into view. He beheld one of the more recent recruits, an arrancar who resembled a young boy, both with oddly colored hair, and unique V slitted pupils.

"What is it, Rolo? I told you not to disturb me, "

A loud explosion shook the fortress.

Bowing in respect, the arrancar placed a hand over his chest.

"Lord Ichigo...you really should come see this for yourself."

--

Before they'd even entered the throne room, he felt the immense spike of reiatsu. Whoever this was, they were strong-no strong was an understatement for this one. Powerful, yes, that term fit this one nicely, as master and apprentice stepped through the archway, and beheld their 'guest'.

Currently, a thrashing, shark like hollow was being restrained by both Agro and Ulquiorra, both of whom had long, bloody slashes across their abdomen and forearms.

"A vasto lorde." The vizard breathed. "Where did you find her?"

"M'lord, she found _us_." Replied Rolo. "She claims the right to kill you. She...killed a good deal of numerous to get here."

"Oh?" He cringed behind the mask, but didn't let it show in his tone. "How many?"

"Several hundred at least."

"..."

"M'lord?"

Withdrawing the Hogyoku from within the folds of his shihakusho, Ichigo strode forward, down the steps. The effect was immediate, for the hollow's eyes widened, and it now struggled mightily against Ulquiorra and Agro, both of whom somehow managed to keep it under control.

"Hold her still."

Without another word, he pressed it to the tip of her snout.

Moments later, her former body shattered, spraying steam and mist about. Through the fog, the silhouette of a young woman was finally made visible, down on her knees.

"Tell us your name, my sister." Ichigo instructed her.

"Tia." She kept her head low, perhaps in respect, perhaps not, her visage obscurred by long strands of bright green, sweat soaked hair. Her voice sounded eerily familair, just a few octaves higher."Tia...Eva."

A few murmurs ran through the assembled elite.

_Tia._

If you were to take a good look at her, you could see that she _did_ bear some resemblance to Halibel. Like her sister, Eva's was well endowed, slightly tan, yet nowhere near as dark. Though when she raised her head, those same distinctive green eyes peered out.

However, unlike her sister, Eva's mask fragment was far more compact, consisting of little more than two small white circles, earrings, hanging from her earlobes.

In short, there was very little linking them, aside from name.

"Tia?" Ichigo's mask betrayed nothing, yet behind the facade, he arched an eyebrow, both in a mixture of amusement and contempt. There was reason for this though.

Halibel had been a pain _in the ass_ to kill.

It'd taken him, Shinji, and old man Yama-jii just to bring her down, once she pulled out a segunda etapa on them, and even then, they'd nearly died. Shuddering briefly at the hellish memory, he returned to the present.

"Yes, you have a sister, don't you?"

"Had." Came the bitter reply. "It came to my attention that _you_ killed her."

"That I did." There was not the slightest _glimmer_ of remorse in his tone, and for good reason. "Decapitation, actually."

There was no point in mourning a defeated enemy. All it did was hold you back, dull your blade, and make you lose focus, whilst you wallowed in self regret. He'd learned this a long time ago.

"You shouldn't speak so lightly of my sister." She stiffened slightly under his words, and there was no mistaking the bite in her tone now. Killer intent leaked from her being, she was pissed that much was clear.

"True," Ichigo began, slowly circling her, "But then again, she did not serve under me before her death. She was the enemy, she came at me with intent to kill, and I cut her down. It's a shame really. She was a powerful opponent. She fought well, and died honorably trying to avenge her fraccion-

"Sun-Sun, Mila-Rose, and Apache?" All at once, her tone changed.

"Oh?" He peered at her intently. "They're alive actually. I'm sure they'd like to see you."

"How very hollow-like to offer something like that." Tia muttered. "And yet you are a shinigami-

"You want to kill me, don't you?" The strawberry cut in so suddenly, that she froze. "I can see it in your eyes." He continued, coming to a stop before her, tapping her on the forehead with a finger, "You can barely restrain yourself, even now."

It was true, every word.

He eyed her new weapon, what looked like a thin rapier with a curved hilt, lying some ways to the side. "Come then." With a nudge of his foot, he kicked the zanpaktou towards her. "Try to kill me."

_'I will.'_

Rage flooding her veins, Eva rose-

But no sooner had her fingers curled around the hilt of her weapon, then it was over. In the blink of an eye, he'd stepped forward, drawn the sword, and now, he had her pinned to the floor, the tip of an ebony black blade pressed to her throat.

"If that had been real, you'd be dead ten times over."

"Then kill me those ten times." She replied coldly. "Send me to join my elder sister."

"How badly do you want me dead?"

"...Badly."

There was determination in her eyes.

It could be useful, but he'd need to redirect her rage first.

"If you spare me Kurosaki, you'd better sleep with one eye open." She all but snarled. "And if I can't kill you, I'll rip away those precious to you, just like you did to me. Are you sure you want to take that risk? To look behind your shoulder every day?"

"I'll take my chances." He replied evenly.

"Suit yourself." She shrugged.

"Rise, Eva Tia." He commanded, pulling away Zangetsu and he continued to speak as she did so. "If you seek the power to kill me, then you'll have to work _for_ me."

"..." She nodded stiffly, swallowing her pride...

For now.

Without another word, Ichigo turned and strode up the stairs leading to the exit.

"Rolo."

"Sir?" The boy looked at his master inquisitively, for the vizard now walked right past him...

But not before muttering:

"Keep an eye on her."

--

Shaolin gave a small nod, followed by a bow.

"Th-Thank you very much for the training, Kukaku-san!"

The sole remaining Shiba smirked.

"And thanks for the workout. You're not bad."

"A-Arigatou!"

--

(Morning)

"Oh...

Tatsuki slowly opened one eye, and immediately regretted it.

Sorta.

At some point, Ichigo had come back here, and now, he had both arms wrapped firmly around her. To make things worse, he didn't have a shirt on, and she now got a good look at all that tan muscle.

Surprisingly, he had scars all over the place. One, right across his chest, a thin, knotted line, whilst the other few she could see from this angle, were papercuts compared to it.

Ulquiorra had given him that scar, she dimly remembered.

Gently, tenderly, she placed a hand upon the chiseled features of his face.

"Ichigo."

He didn't stir, and she couldn't help but smile as he snored softly.

"Idiot."

So he had more than mental scars after all...

Slowly, oh so slowly, she leaned in-

"Hey."

"Ah!" She squeaked, as his eyes flickered open, just before she'd been about to kiss him. For a moment, she didn't move, but then the blush came back with a vengeance.

"BAKA!"

--

(Hours later)

"HA!" Lillenette blew smoke off her pistol, smirking at the smoking corpse of her opponent. "That's how its done!"

"I give her a ten." Saita nodded.

"Eight." Replied Eva with a scowl. "She toyed with him for too long."

"Sourpuss." Saita muttered, sticking out her tongue.

As the roar of the crow died down, Ichigo turned to survey the remaining combatants, fraccion and espada alike. Sophita had won quite easily against Kenshin, but then again, he had a rule about fighting girls, so that wasn't really a surprise there.

But what the redhead didn't know, was that he'd still get a rank.

Rolo won his match quite handly, but that too, was to be expected.

Even Shaolin had emerged victorious, once he'd authorized use of lethal force.

And now, Lillenette had practically vaporized her opponent.

"Now, where were we last time?" Ichigo once again addressed those assembled in the arena. "Ah yes, I was about to announce the next match." A loud roar of anticipation went up amongst the crowd at this.

Tatsuki winced slightly, and covered her ears.

Ichigo raised a hand for silence.

"Agro and Eva will fight...yours truly." He pointed a finger towards himself, taking in the dumbfounded stares he now received from the crowd, accompanied by a loud shout.

"WHAT?!"

Seconds later, a third of the stands became little more than a sheet of ice. But that ice, in the sweltering temperature of midday afternoon, soon shattered into a thousand paper thin fragments.

Apparently, he had no qualms about killing any dissidents.

"Any more..._questions_?" His brow furrowed, warning them as he sheathed Shirayuki.

Abruptly, there was silence.

Eva scowled, but didn't say anything. She to hadn't expected this, but then again she'd take any chance to avenge her sister, and two on one were far better odds. Speaking of big sis, her current style of dress was an exact replica of Halibel's. She even had her sword and sheathe strapped to her back.

Truly a devoted sister.

When Eva at last returned her attention to Ichigo, she was once again calm, cool, and composed.

"Don't expect me to go easy on you out there, shinigami."

A smirk tugged at his lips.

"I Don't."

Seizing the white cloak he wore, the vizard tossed it aside, revealing his black shihakusho, zanpaktou, and the like. Dark energy swirled about him, throwing him into the air, where he landed, a dark coment amongst the sands.

Brown eyes glittered fiercely as Agro simply leapt into the arena, with Eva following some ways behind. Clearly, the latter had no qualms fighting him, but the former was rearing to go.

Raising one hand, Ichigo beckoned them forward.

"Now... come!"

Eva needed no further encouragement.

--

(Elsewhere)

_'Nonononononono...._

It kept telling itself no, even as it greedily devoured the remains of the menos. But its body refused to stop, refused to slow, as its tongue greedily laped up the acrid bile that was the blood of its had only been an adjuchas for two days, but the taste of hollow still disgusted it, as did taking life. This was its home, it knew that, but still _hated_ it all the same.

CLANG!

The hollow stiffened, raised its head and sniffed at the air, the sound of steel striking at its ears like a gong.

CLANG!

That sound again!

It didn't like loud noises, but this was more than a headache.

Deeper, more painful.

CLANG!

Hate.

It hated that noise!

That terrible sound, it was like nails on a chalkboard!

Fury.

It didn't like the emotion.

It much rather preferred being happy.

It preferred all sorts of things.

But...

It _knew_ that reaitsu...

In that moment, a memory stirred. Tilting its heat to one side, the cross masked hollow seemed to think to itself. One clawed finger scratched a the back of its head, whilst yellow irises stared into the distance.

At last, it found what it sought.

A face.

A murky image, but a recognizeable one nonetheless.

_'I...remember..._

A faint emotion, _hope_, beat within its breast.

With a slow and heavy stride, it began to run in the direction of the fighting. _'Remember..._ With every step it took, every yard crossed with long, powerful legs, memories returned, until the creature at last remembered its name, its _identity_...

_'I remember!'_

Who it had been.

Faster, faster still it ran, determined to get there before the fight really took off.

However, its progress was soon impeded.

A fierce wind, accompanied by a wicked killer intent, slammed into the hollow, throwing it into the air, then crashing to the hard, unforgiving sand, with an audible crack.

_'Get...up...must...get up..._

_Hmm. _A voice!

_It seems you remember yourself, child. _The voice, that of a man, amused, or so it sounded as a shadow fell over it. The sun was in its eyes, but from what could be seen, the man wore a shihakusho, and an elegant crown upon his head. Stroking his beard, the man smirked, exposing pearly white teeth. _Hmm, you might be useful after all, little one. Here. Take some of my power._

All at once, new strength surged through the starved holllow, quieting the chorus of voices in its head.

_Will you go?_

It lay there for another second, groaned, then struggled to its feet, legs wobbling from the effort. The hollow nodded once, its head bobbing up and down from the motion as it stood on two feet again.

_'I...must..._

_Yes. Stand up. Walk forward!_

The sands trembled again, but now, the hollow raised a hand, warding off another foul wind that threatened to sweep it away. Screaming in frustration, red, crimson light erupted from its fingertips, the cero shooting past, cancelling out the cylcone.

The man was gone, but now it had a purpose, instilled by the man.

When at last the foul gust died down, it threw back its head and _screamed. _A word, dark and raspy, escaping its lips as a pillar of orange light exploded into the early morning light.

**"I-CHI-GO!"**

**Hehe, looks like someone survived thanks to a mysterious stranger...Care to guess who's alive? Next time: Old Friends, Bitter Enemies.**


	20. Misery Loves Company, but what about me?

Clang!

Ichigo jumped back, just as the rapier stabbed the air where he had been mere moments ago. Whipping Zangetsu about, he now easily swatted Agro on the back swing, the broad blade effortlessly throwing the arrancar down into the sand.

"Stop holding back!"

Agro's response was to charge headlong at the vizard, who easily sidestepped, dodged, or simply blocked everything thrown his way. Not that it was easy, mind you. Agro utilized more than his heavy weapon, throwing in tiger punches, crane strikes, drop kicks, and displaying a surprising versatility for one of his size.

Without his mask, Agro was able to see the smirk Ichigo wore.

"Good! Nice form! Now, didn't I tell you to stop-

Zangetsu's cloth abruptly ensnared his wrist.

-HOLDING BACK?!" Ichigo snarled, dragging Agro into a hard right hook, that actually hurt _him_ more than it did the arrancar. Imagine his surprise when said arrancar seized him by the shoulders, and started charging a cero of his own, without even striking a 'fighting pose' as Kyoraku might'be put it.

_'A trap, eh? Good. He's learning..._

Meanwhile, Eva silently appeared from above, rapier pointed down at his head as she fell towards him. _'You're finished, you bastard!'_ She thought he hadn't noticed her, but without even looking, he twisted his head to one side allowing her to sail harmlessly past him, into the dirt.

Enjoying the gobsmacked expression the two wore, Ichigo shoved Agro backwards, seized Eva by her hair, and _swung _her into her off balance teammate . The two collided with a heavy thud, whilst the cloth disentangled from them. And then taking advantage of the situation, whipping the flat of his blade around-

"Gestuga Tenshou!"

Shaking her head to clear her thoughts, Eva struggled to her feet.

"Damn you!"

Agro frowned as she gripped her sword tightly, and held it down.

"Devorar: Tiburon!" **(Devour him! Empress Shark!)**

A heart shaped wall of water engulfed her, and Ichigo braced himself for the worst as yellow light streamed from within the vortex. Apparently, her ressureccion wasn no different from her sister's, and if that really was the case the...

_'This...is gonna be a pain in the ass.'_

She cut her way out of the whirpool moments later, a wicked glint in her eyes.

"You're..._dead shinigami!"_

At that moment, Agro seemed to make up his mind as well, and held up his own zanpaktou.

"Rugido! Kuroi Endriago!" **(Roar aloud! Black Dragon!)**

His transformation was much more composed than the wild energy of Eva's, and within the space of a second, he too stood transformed.

His back once again sported 2 dragon-like wings, their long, pointed tips, glimmering in the perpetual sunlight, black as the night itself.

A black, segmented, scaly bone tail extended behind him, its deadly sharpened tip thrashing against the ground, as if in anticipation of the coming battle. The curved spined glimmered as the joints clicked together, creating an eerie popping sound.

His feet, were once again black claws, two in the front, and one in the back for support. His hands were normal, _to an extent_, with the exception of his fingertips, each digit, was _black and clawed_, similair to his shoulders armored shoulders, each ending in a ridged segment, sporting a wickedly sharp black spike at the tip, that curved outward.

Bellying his fierce appearance, his mask's pattern had become 3 slash marks on each side thinly and 2 running from the eyebrows to his nose, his gleaming blue eyes shone behind it. The dragon's head mask remained wide open, as Agro began to speak from within it, his face still exposed, despite the transformation.

"Here I come, Ichigo-sama."

The vizard responded with one word.

"Bankai."

--

The hollow peered down at the battle from atop the pillar, careful to remain out of sight. It was wary, wary both of being seen, or worse, being identified by its voice.

And so it remained there, reluctant to show itself, yet wanting to so very badly.

But no, it shook its head.

_'I...I can't let him see me like this..._

It didn't know what was going on exactly, but Ichigo was fighting two against one, and easily dominating the battle. He had his bankai out, and the two arrancar had released, but still, Ichigo wasn't even attacking. All he did was dodge their attacks, that, and block on occasion.

For now.

Finally, the arrcancar that closely resembled a dragon, struck at Ichigo with his tail, but the vizard didn't make any attempt to dodge it, for he was to busily engaged with the female arrancar, warding off her near suicidal attacks, which basically consisted of wildly slashing and hacking at him.

But just when it seemed that he'd take the hit, the shinigami dissapeared, and instead, Eva took the blow, receiving a small wound between the shoulder blades. Hissing in pain, the girl turned to glare at Agro, who shrugged, and flew up after Ichigo, who had now taken to the air.

Claw met blade, heated sparks of green/red sprayed about as the two exchanged blows, neither giving an inch, nor asking for one. However, for some reason, Eva seemed content to wait on the ground whilst the men duked it out up there.

Everyone soon realized why, for with a mighty clang, Agro was thrown down from the heavens, and into the sands. A flurry of Ice from Shirayuki bound him in place. But Ichigo was bleeding now, a slight cut to his cheek, and that was more than enough to set Eva's heightened bloodlust raging.

"You're mine!" A wild grin split her face, eyes blazing, pupils dilating as she rushed up to meet him head on. He blocked her again, as she slammed her blade down into Zangetsu, but this time the sheer madness of her attack drove him back.

Frowning, Ichigo dug his feet into the air, gathering Reishi at his feet to slow his fall.

"Is this really the strength that killed my sister?" She sneered down at him, enjoying her advantage as the spectators looked on, whispers of doubt and dissaproval running through the stands. "Or are you really that weak-

A dark crescent wave rushed into her, but she swatted it away with her bare hand.

"Do me a favor and shut up." Ichigo picked himself up, glaring coldly at her.

"Ha!" She taunted, demeaning him. "What was that, huh?! I didn't feel a thing!"

"Fine."

Slowly, he reached to his face.

As the death mask appeared, cold, yellow irises blazed out at Eva, the dark sclera freezing her very soul solid in a brief moment of fear. **_"There. Is this what you wanted to see?"_** His reiatsu swarmed over her, the spiritual pressure snatching the very breath from her throat.

"W-What is that?"

And then he was just _there, _Tensa Zangetsu meeting Tiburon with renewed force and energy. The impact left her sword arm numb, but by the time she realized this, he was already shoving her back, pushing her down, pressing the advantage, that bone chilling voice scattering her wits.

**_"You'll never kill me with that blunt blade."_**

The ground rushed up to flatten them, but still he struck at her again and again, her parries becoming more and more sluggish with each numbing strike. **_"I hope you're happy now, knowing I won't be holding back anymore."_**

At last, they finally hit the ground, and though she was quick to roll away from an overhanded strike that would've taken her head off, Eva's resolve began to tremble. This wasn't a shinigami, this was a monster!

_'Distance! I need to put some distance between us!'_

Leaping back, water began to stream from her blade. He began to draw another sword, and this only hastened her movements. Casting the giant weapon about, she directed the current towards the vizard, the tide ebbing and flowing around her blade...

"Hir-

CLANG!

Ichigo was on her again, pressing her before she could even form the technique, breaking her concentration completely as Shirayuki's ice froze the water solid, rendering it useless. **_"What happened to your speed?" _**Was this what her sister felt, just moments before she died? Did she experience this terror before she took her last breath? **_"You were so confident a second ago."_**

_'I...don't wanna die!'_

**_"Scared?" _**He asked, sensing the trembling of her heart.

"U-Urusai!" She screamed, swinging with all her might to hack at his skull!

CA-RRUNCH!

He blocked her Tiburon with the same uncaring force that moved his zanpaktou a moment before. Cracks appeared in the surface of her soul cutter, and her viridian eyes tripled in terror. _'No!'_ Sparks flew as he forced her own weapon towards her, closer, closer still, until he'd shoved her sword arm up, and away.

She was wide open now, and he was already coming from the right.

He was really going to kill her.

_'I don't wanna die!'_

**_"You're finished, Eva."_**

Neliel looked away.

However, just before Zangetsu would've drawn blood...

_'No!'_

_I reject!_

He stopped.

A dim, triangle shaped shield of orange blocked his blade, throwing it back with such force, that Ichigo was left speechless. But not because of the technique's power, no that wasn't it at all.

It was the technique itself.

_Orihime's technique._

Ripping off his mask, Ichigo turned his gaze to the pillar, where a dark blur ducked out of sight.

"Wait! Come back!"

Eva fell to her knees, speechless, as Ichigo took off after the blur.

What just happened?

--

His heart had nearly leapt out of his chest when he'd seen that technique. However, seeing was one thing, finding, well, that was an entirely different story altogether.

Even in his second form, Ichigo soon lost track of the reaitsu he'd felt earlier. He was outside the dome by this point, and still, there was no sign of her. It wasn't like she could be hiding anywhere, right? No matter how far he looked, he didn't see anyone, or anything.

That couldn't have been...

But he knew that technique.

He'd even felt her reiatsu.

How was she still alive?

There was absolutely no mistaking it, but...

Why did she run away?

"Damnit!" He spit, potshotting the sand with a cero. "DAMNIT!"

For an hour, he combed the sands of Hueco Muendo.

Nothing.

Confused and disheartened, Ichigo paused one last time outside the dome of Las Noches. Hoping against hope, he listened intently, but all that greeted him was the sound of sandstorms and the occasional hollow lizard.

"Damnit," He muttered forlornly, shedding a single tear as he removed the mask, "Damn it all to hell."

"Master?"

"What?!" He snarled, whipping around, ready to rip whoever it was to pieces-

His anger faded somewhat when he saw that it was only Shaolin.

"I'm sorry master." She bowed, hanging her head low, "I looked everywhere you told me too, but I didn't find anything."

...It's...alright." He sighed at last, taking a deep breath to steady himself. "It was probably a mirage, that's all."

"Um...should we go back?"

"Yeah," He sighed sadly. "Everyone's waiting."

Soul Society.

It was their fault, all their fault.

He'd make them pay.

Every last one.

"Master?"

"...What?"

"Is...something bothering you?" She looked at him with nothing but open curiosity.

"..."

"Is there anything I can do to-

"No!" He snapped at her, and she flinched.

"I'm sorry." She hung her head. "It was not my place to ask."

"You're damn right it wasn't-

"I-I was only worried about you! Y-You don't have to be so mean about it!"

This sudden outburst surprised him, and at the moment, this was NOT a good thing.

"Leave."

"Huh?" She blinked in surprise.

"Damnit!" He snarled, slapping her across the face! "You're so annoying! Go back inside and don't show your face to me again or else!"

Raising a trembling hand to her face, she tried to overcome her shock. "M-Master, I-

"GO!" He howled! "Out of my sight!"

Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Y-Yes. If that is what you w-wish."

Without another word, she ran back through the door, leaving Ichigo to watch as she tried to contain her sobs. He stood there for a moment, full of self loathing as his hands balled into fists.

Scum, he felt like scum now, for taking his emotions out on others.

"H-Hey!" He called, but she was too far gone to hear him.

"Kami," He groaned, slapping himself across the face and shaking his head. "Look at me, I'm such an ass."

Dissapointed, more in himself than anything else, Ichigo once again entered his fortress.

Heartbroken.

Alone.

Miserable.

Had he been in the right mind, he would've heard the sound of crying from below his feet, far beneath the sands...

--

(Menos Forest)

Stupid!

She'd been so stupid to try and see him!

Inoue Orihime ran, ran as fast as her legs could carry her, which was pretty fast of course, after all, she'd had to do a lot of running away before she became an adjuchas.

"Idiot," At some point, her normal voice had come back, and it only made her feel worse at this point, "I'm such an idiot."

Already, she was far from here, far from Ichigo, and there was absolutely no way she'd be found, not with her newfound ability to suppress her reiatsu. Besides, Hueco Mundo was a big place.

He'd never find her, not if she laid low for awhile.

He _couldn't_ find her, she wouldn't let him.

_Ever_.

**Pretty sad, ain't it? Next time: The new Jirichi.**


	21. A Weary, Trembling Soul

"The Jirichi's in...

Some place called _Alaska_.

From what he knew about geology, it was pretty damn cold up there.

Pretty damn far away too.

Upon his return, he was surprised to see that the bout had continued without him, and in fact, the only two left to have at it were Ying and had just finished his match with Jacqli, but it had been declared it a draw, so both would pass. But at the moment, Ichigo really couldn't care less, in fact, he was just about ready to call it a day.

Again.

"Kaname, continue in my place, will you?"

When the latter gave him a questioning look, the vizard replied with a:

"I gotta get some rest."

"Why the long face?" Gin asked with that sly grin of his, as the vizard trudged past.

"It's a long story." Ichigo muttered, pushing past him...

--

"Open." He commanded, and a portion of the wall before him slid up, revealing a door.

Upon entering it, a wave of killer intent greeted him.

"Who let you in?"

"Your fraccion."

"What do _you_ want?"

"..." He looked to the side.

_'Feh, I don't even know why I'm doing this..._

Gathering his fragmented thoughts, he finally spoke. "Does...that wound still hurt?"

"I bear my scars with pride." She snorted.

"Jeez, what good is pride if you're dead?" The shinigami muttered.

"Oh, come to gloat have you?" Eva countered, still refusing to look at him, but trying to ignore the warm sensation of blood trickling down her back. "Well save it for someone who cares! I don't need your pity, shinigami!"

"Shut up."

A small gasp escaped her throat as he touched her bare back, his fingers brushing up against raw, torn flesh.

"A-Ah!" Shrieking in surprise, she whirled around to smack him, but the strawberry caught her wrists in a crushing grip. "Okay, I'm really, really tired your complaints!" Looking at his face remained her of that horrifying mask, and made the arrancar fight even harder.

In his current state of mind, Ichigo wasn't willing to tolerate any of it.

"Enough! Shut up, don't move, and stay put!" Forcing her down, he now pinned Eva down on the bed, with her chin resting atop the pillow, so as to prevent her from suffocating. Keeping her arms restrained at the small of her back, he freed one hand, and placed it over the wound.

It came back slick with blood.

_'Crap, I really did overdo it..._

"Get your filthy hands off me, murderer!"

"Hold _still!_" He grunted as she began her struggle anew, making it difficult to restrain her with only one arm. "You're going to bleed to death at this rate."

"Why?"

"What?" He blinked in surprise as she briefly ceased her struggles.

"Why are you trying to heal me? You know it won't change anything between us."

"I know."

"I'm still going to kill you."

"Yeah, I know, I know." He muttered to himself.

For a moment, there was silence.

"Why did you kill my sister?"

"..."

"Hey, its not like I went there with the intent of killing just her," He gently massaged the wound, feeding a steady stream of his reaitsu into it, and trying his best to keep her distracted before the pain from the transfusion set in. "Besides, Halibel wasn't even at full strength when we fought her-

"We?" She twisted her head around to frown at him over her shoulder. "Who is this 'we' you keep speaking of?"

"Well," This was the tricky part. Either way, she wasn't going to be changing her disposition anytime soon, so he'd have to feed the other half of the story, albeit with a few changes, if he wanted to keep her under control. "Did you _see_ your sister's death, or did you only hear about it?"

Briefly, she relaxed.

"No...I didn't see it."

"Then would you like to see what _really_ happened?"

Just like that, every fiber in her being went on high alert.

"If you're about to lie to me-

She didn't have time to finish, for the wound now closed itself.

"Brace yourself." He warned. "This might sting-

_Major_ understatement.

"Ah!" Eva _screamed_ as fire coursed through her veins, setting off every nerve in her body. Ichigo wisely released her, and almost imediately, she began to tremble, even as she sat up. Throwing her arms around herself, she shot him a glare. "The...hell...is this...?!"Eva had no recollection of this, she had no _idea_ what this sensation was, other than an _exhilerating_ mix of pain and ecstasy, all at the same time.

"Well, you lost alot of blood and reiatsu, so I...gave you some of mine."

"WHAT?!"

_'Hopefully, that wasn't a mistake..._

"AH!" Bright, emerald eyes tripled and then scrunched themselves tightly shut. "Ah...shit! What's happening to me?!"

"Looks like you're rejecting my blood." He offered. "Painful isn't it?"

"No shit sherlock!" She snarled, wishing it would all just stop...

And all at once, the pain did just that...

_It stopped._

What was left, felt like the afterglow of an orgasm, heaven in this wretchedly humid wasteland. But no matter how good it felt, Eva had to remind herself that this was the blood of the enemy, her sister's killer, flowing through her veins.

She both loved it, and _hated_ it, all at the same time. Part of her wanted to get as far away from this-this _thing_, as she could, but another, wanted it, _craved_ _it_, reveled in it, basked in this glorious sensation of pure adrenaline, raw unfiltered _power_, that was now her own to command.

"I...owe you, I guess." She muttered half heartedly. "Now show me how sis died. I wanna see the full battle, from start to finish."

"That'll be two you owe me then." He countered quietly.

"You say something?"

"...Nothing. Ulquiorra's outside. Talk to him about it."

With that, he headed back to his room to get some shut eye.

He only prayed his mind would be able to rest as well.

_'Inoue....was that... really you back there?'_

--

(Menos Forest)

"Ah!" She hit the ground with a hard, audible thud, bleeding at the left shoulder, and from her right leg, where she'd been brutally slashed. Now she remembered why she didn't come down here anymore. Vasto Lorde dwelled down beneath these sands, and as luck would have it, she'd encountered not one, not two, but _three_ of them.

"C'mon! Get up!"

A massive shadow loomed over her, and she found herself staring up at one of them, a stocky humanoid, male by his voice, with an X shapped mask.

When she made no move to rise, the high level hollow kicked her with its spiked foot, the sharp points of its heel digging into her Inoue's abdomen, and prompting a small gasp.

"Did you see that?" A snide female voice laughed from somewhere behind her, but before Orihime could determine the identity of its owner, a cero picked her up off the sands, and violently _heaved _her body into the air. For a moment, she hung there, praying that they'd just leave her alone...

Alas, it was not to be.

Another hollow flash soon slammed into her back, burning right through h sending the poor adjuchas flying through a tree.

There, the last vasto lorde was waiting there for her, and its teeh curved up into a wide grin behind it's oval shaped mask.

"Die bitch!"

The next ten seconds were a blur, for the three vasto's harassed her even as she fell to the ground, scraping and slashing at her, yet thankfully not once did they bite her. She didn't want to be stuck this way, she couldn't bear the thought of it...

When at last the girl came too, she was on the ground, bleeding.

"She saved that menos! Ha!" The first one laughed, digging its booted heel into her mask.

"P-Please stop...

"Stop? Ha! You hear that? She want's us to stop!"

She now noticed the hollow's foot was right next to her mouth.

"She's way too softhearted to be an adjuchas!"

Unbidden, the hunger rose within her.

"Let's just eat her and get it over with."

_I'm...so hungry..._

"Fine," Sighed the second, then...

_So...hungry..._

"Hey, watch it!!"

Too late, her jaws closed on the hollow's heel, and with a sickening tearing sound, Orihime ripped off a huge chunk of flesh, and swallowed it. Screaming in fury, the second hollow sprang at her, but she somehow rolled away, just before she could be stabbed by the vasto's pincer like arms.

The claw again struck a mere centimeter from her face, and before she could stop herself-

RIIIIP!

The Vasto Lorde shrieked as Orihime bit off its entire hand, chewed once, then swallowed.

"YEARGH! My arm !" It howled, glaring fiercely at her, causing the former human to gul nervously in fear. "Bitch, you are so-

"K-Koten Zanshun!"

Tsubaki flew from the side of her mask, ripping off a good chunk of the vasto's face in an eyeblink. Startled, his comrades leapt back, wary of the darting blur that had just taken the life of their terror did not have time to sink in for Orihime. No, her soul _howled_ for food, and against her will, even as she squeezed shut her eyes behind the mask, she was all too aware of everything, devouring the hollow with ravenous haste.

Horrified that she'd done such a thing, she nearly vomitted on the spot, as Tsubaki returned to her.

Then, the remaining vasto lorde turned their gaze upon her.

Content, the hunger left, and renewed strength flowed through her, but Orihime didn't want to stick around regardless. Making use of the one thing she _was _good at, the adjuchas ran, trying to ignore how heavy her body felt. Despite her limber build, she could barely even walk now, a result of absorbing so much reaitsu at once.

Eventually, she couldn't move at all, not without searing pain.

_Why can't I move... I feel...strange..._

As she slowed to a halt, her entire body began to glow a vivid orange.

_'What's...happening to me...._

She began to tremble, as the vasto lorde closed in.

"Ah shit, she's changing! Quick! Eat her before its too late!"

"Shut up! I know what I'm doing!"

Slowly, those wide, gaping jaws seemed to close in on her...

Yet still, she couldn't move.

"That is quite enough."

A series of thin red lines appeared across its chest, then the hollow fell apart, reduced to little more than bloody chunks. A flash of a dark, tattered shihakusho was seen now, then a soul reaper with red hair could be seen, a zanpaktou held tightly in his right hand.

The sole remaining vasto tried to run, but the man pointed his sword towards it, and uttered:

"Die before my eyes, hollow scum."

Just like that, the hollow turned to stone, and fell into a million pebbles.

"There." He nodded to himself, and turned to face her. "Now you, adjuchas, have some explaining to do."

Orihime vaguely recalled his name. Rukia had told her about him, during their escape from Hueco Muendo.

"I saw you save that hollow from those vasto lorde. Tell me why?"

_Ashido..._

"Um...I...well...

"Answer quickly, or I'll do to you what I did to those 'friends' of yours."

"N-No! They're not my friends, they-

But before she could hope to defend herself, her entire body went rigid, and the dim orange glow around her abruptly turned into a blazing aura.

"Uh-oh." Was all she could manage...

Before the transformation began.

--


	22. Hime

"Uh-oh." Was all she could manage...

Before the transformation began.

--

"Victory goes to Ying and-

Tousen paused in mid-speak, then seemed to stare off into space for a moment.

An ominous sense of foreboding filled the air.

A bead if sweat rolled down his visor, and past his face.

"This...spiritual pressure...

All of Las Noches seemed to pause, just before the wave of spiritual pressure slammed into them. All of the soon to be espada and diablos, looked up in interest, recognizing the intense energies bulleting towards them, as the unmistakable power of a newly born vasto lorde.

_'This is-_

They didn't have long to wait.

From out of _nowhere_, a spire of orange light rocketed into the air, turning the afternoon sky black, piercing the dome, then continuing onward and upward.

KK-RAM!

The earth shook as the giant shards fell to the sands, each one powerful enough to creating earthquake in its own right.

Those weaker gillian, and freshly made arrancar, stood absolutely no chance against the backlash of reiatsu that buffeted them, the lightning leaping about the arena as if it were actually _alive_. Some turned to dust on the spot, other simply burst into flames, but within a heartbeat, a dozen had already fallen, and still the body count continued to rise, now at an alarming rate.

At this rate....

--

Ichigo noticed the surge of reiatsu as well, and looked up, surprise clearly written all over his face but it was faint and distant, gone in a second, that he mistook it for another. Sighing, he finished washing his face, and was just about to don the upper half of his shihakusho...

When he made the mistake of glancing at himself in the mirror.

What stared back made his skin crawl.

That chalky white skin, sardonic grin, and hideous yellow eyes. Even before he wiped away the steam that obscurred the rest of the glass, beading down like the pallid sweat upon his face, the vizard knew who it was.

Hichigo.

_Why the long face...partner? _His hollow sneered out at him once his face was revealed. _Don't tell me you've forgotten what you're doing here?_

"I haven't." The former ryoka grumbled under his breath, turning away from the visage of his other self, refusing to speak with him, but when he looked down at his hands, they had begun to tremble if only slightly.

Startled, he whirled around, and Hichigo's smile grew into a grin bordering on insanity.

_Don't get distracted now, Ichigo!_

Exhaling, the vizard took a deep breath to calm himself, clenching his fingers tightly into fists. Summoning the memories of happier times with friends and family would've helped, but at the moment...

He couldn't remember any.

It'd only been a few weeks, but already, his memories those good times with his loved ones...

They were fading away.

Resisting the urge to panic, the strawberry bit his lip, and thought of Tatsuki, Orihime, and those friends that he still did have with him. A small smile pulled at his face as he basked in the warmth of what he did remember. "I know what I have to do."

_Heh, so do I._

A trickle of fear crept through the memories, breaking his concentration.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

_Oh come ON!_Hichigo shook his head in mild irritation, smacking himself lightly across the forehead as he did so. _I think we both know what's on your mind right now, and it sure as hell ain't Soul Society!_

Face burning, Ichigo refused to either deny or acknowledge the words of his darker half.

"Urusai."

_See?! _The hollow grinned triumphantly, jabbing a finger at his other half. _There you go again! But, then again... _he gave a helpless shrug, as if he didn't really care, when in actuality, Hichigo seemed to be enjoying every minute of this. _You've got a lot to choose from, right? Must be tough, deciding which one you wanna bang._

"Shut up."

_Lemme see here, first, there's Arisawa. Meh, not really on the sexy side, but hey, I'm sure she'd let ya in._

"Shut up...

_Then there's that girl of yours, Sha-what's her name. She'd let you fuck her senselss if you ORDERED her to._

"Shut up....

_Hmm, and we've also got that Shiba bitch,maybe even Yoruichi, all those hot arrancar chick's, not to mention that particular one you seem so fixated on-_

That part was the straw that broke the camel's back.

"Shut _up!" _Ichigo all but howled, whirling to face the mirror! "I don't think like that!"

_Ha! _Hichigo shouted right back, grinning like a maniac. _Don't lie to yourself! You were practically drooling a second ago!_

"I was _not_!" Snarled the vizard, smashing a fist against the mirror, and though it came away bloody, and though the glass itself was no shattered, still the broken reflection of Hichigo smirked at him.

_You can't lie to yourself, partner. And you can't lie to me._

Ichigo suddenly remembered to breathe just then, and Hichigo was gone.

"M-Master! You're bleeding!"

He numbly stared at the mirror, aware that Shaolin must've come in at some point, even though he'd told her to never show her face around him ever again. But he kept quiet, wincing as she pulled the shards of glass from his palm, applied some salve, and then dressed the wound.

Briefly, she put her hand in his to do so, but perhaps she lingered to long, fora s she finished wrapping the bandage, Ichigo abruptly flexed his hand into a fist, perhaps indicating that was enough, or perhaps trying to grab her hand, but by the time this had occured to her, Shaolin had already pulled away.

Face burning, she tried to calm herself as Ichigo stared at his hand.

"Thanks." He finally gratified her with his words.

"I-Is there anything else, master?" She asked at last, careful not to look him in the eye, lest she arouse his ange, treading on eggshells, with careful, terrified precision. "I could get you a glass of water, or-or-

Only then did he turn to look at her.

"Look at me." He muttered, and she did so, nervous grey meeting somber brown. She gave a small squeak of surprise when he reached a hand up to cup her face, peering at her, noting that aside from her golden yellow irises, her sclera were no longer dark. For what seemed like an eternity, he held her gaze, then at last turned away, dropping his hand whilst he did so.

"You're not angry." He mumbled. "Why aren't you angry?"

...Should I be, master?"

"Do you hate me?"

"I could never hate you, master."

The way she said that...

It drove him wild.

"No! You should!" All at once, he changed, glaring at her with furious intent, pinning her against the wall by her shoulders! "I friggin hit you! I told you I never wanted to see your face again, I threatened to kill you! And you-you mean to tell me you're not angry at that?! Not at all?!"

She shook her head.

"I know master didn't want to hurt me."

"Say wha?" He blinked, and though he still had her by the shoulders, he now put her at arms length.

"If-If you wanted to hurt me," She swallowed nervously, spurring herself forward, realizing all too well she was stepping into forbidden territory with this change of topic. "If you _really_ wanted to make me suffer, and see me miserable," If she were to slip even slightly, he'd kill her in an instant, yet...

Strangely enough, Shaolin Fon was alright with that.

Taking a deep breath, she began:

"Then you'd have banned me from Las Noches altogether. Then, I-I wouldn't even have the privilege of being in your presence, of knowing you were at least _there. _I-I'd do anything to make you smile, master." She smiled shyly as she said this, looking away to hide the faint pink blush that tinged her cheeks. "I'm...just happy serving you, even if you did have to change who I am...as a person."

"You mean...you're aware of who you were?" He eyed her with skepticism, unable to believe what she had just said, and she could read it on his face, exactly what he was thinking. That was simply not possible, no there wasn't even the slightest chance of it. It made absolutely no sense.

"I don't believe you." He muttered at last.

"M-May I speak freely then?"

....Fine."

Placing one hand across her chest, her next words held great conviction. "I...owe you a great deal. For the first time in my life, I feel...free. I don't have anything weighing me down. All that bitterness, anger, sadness," She made a motion of throwing up her hands."It's just...gone. I can smile now, I can laugh, and...even serving you, it...it just makes me _happy_...

"I find that hard to believe."

Steeling herself, she knew her next words would cross the line, and put her out there, in dangerous territory. " I-Ieie! It's true, I'm not lying! I-If it would make you happy, I'd gladly throw away my very _life_ for you!"

"Shaolin, what am I to you?"

The question surprised her.

"Nani?"

"I said, what-am-I-to-you." He spoke slowly, deliberately, looking her square in the eye. "As a person, what do you think of me?"

"Sad." She answered, then trying to compensate, when he winced, and looked away from her with a small groan born of the unbearable lonliness that ultimately becomes the horrible price for exacting revenge. "You just seem...so sad whenever you're alone."

When he looked her in the eye again, there was something different in those muddy brown orbs. At some point, he must've leaned forward again, because now he, _his lips_, were unbearably close to her own.

He'd take advantage of the power.

Just this once.

"If I were to order you to...

Closer.

"...Leave this room right now...

Closer still...

"...Would you?"

"Yes."

One hand lowered itself from her shoulders, traced its way down her body, and eventually rested on her outer thigh, briefly running over it in long, slow circles, before coming to a stop. She shuddered, and bit back a whimper, afraid it might displease him, and desperate not to do so.

"And If I ordered you to stay, lock the door, and not speak to _anyone_ about the next few hours, would you obey?"

There was barely a centimeter between them now, and she could feel his lips, brushing up against her own, with every word he spoke. Every singly syllable sent a small shiver up her spine, and if that hand didn't have her by the shoulder...

"Yes." She all but whined, not resisting his grip, but he could see she had no desire to remain still. The warm sensation was building in her core, but still, her sense of duty restrained her, but for how much longer was anyone's guess...

"Oi. Shaolin!"

"Hmm?"

"Wake up will ya?!" Ichigo barked, surprising her, rather than soothing her.

_'Wake up?'_

_--_

Shaolin opened her eyes and nearly burst into tears as she realized it had all been a dream. She was lying on the bed, with a concerned Ichigo standing over her, but the moment she realized she was Ichigo's bed, the poor thing jumped right up.

"Wh-Wha-

"You cut yourself after you dressed my hand." He explained, holding up the hastily bandaged palm as proof, truly shoddy worksmanship, but then again, he wasn't exactly experienced in dressing wounds. "The second you saw your own blood, you went out like a light-Huh?"

She snifled, looking away from him.

But his words made her pinch herself, twice, just to make sure she _was_ awake.

"Look, I just wanted to...apologize. I was an ass before, and I'm sorry, so,"

Unable to meet her gaze, he extended a hand to her.

"You...wanted me to help you supervise your training, right? So...about now?"

"H-Hai!" She managed a nod, then pinched herself again, just to be sure. "I'd love it!"

--

(Meanwhile)

When at last she could see straight, Inoue Orihime did everything she could to force her reaitsu down. Hide it, mask it, keep anyone from even pinpointing her location, that was the first thing, not the new body, or the sheer size of the reiatsu she was trying so desperately to bring back under her control.

When at last she'd forced her newfound power back under, the new vasto lorde now focused all of her attention on the shinigami, or rather, the sword which he now had pointed squarely at her.

"Now, explain yourself-

However, Inoue didn't hear the rest of it.

_'Oh no..._

Already, she could feel a host of reiatsu headed there way.

More Vasto Lorde, obviously enraged by the death of their comrades.

_'I-If they find me...I'll..._

A distant roar confirmed her worst fears, but another sound, this one closer, softer, drew her attention to the left.

"Meow."

_'...Oh...it's you.'_

There, in the corner, hidden behind the tree, was the gillian she had saved. Nervously, it approached her, and licked at her fingers, then purred when Orihime reached out a trembling hat to pat it lightly on the head It was a small little thing, a cat-like hollow, but to her, it really looked more like a kitten hollow, than a cat-

Realizing she was going off an a tangent, Inoue blinked it away, and reached to the small cut above its left eye.

"Hi, kitty."

"Meow."

The hollow cat stared back at her, not even flinching as it was healed, its yellow black eyes reflecting nothing but simple curiosity, mingled with a hint of affection, much like a pet would have for its owner, and vice versa. It actually reminded her of Yoruichi-san, but minus the cat mask, small hollow hole, and white fur. And laid flat across its back folded tightly against its frame...

Were a small pair of black wings.

"Pretty...she mumbled to herself, finding something familair, yet unable to pinpoint exactly what it was.

Purring softly, the winged creature curled up in her arms, not the least bit frightened by her new appearance.

"Ahem."

And then she remembered that a certain soul reaper was still here.

Exhaustion, coupled with sheer panic, _and_ giving some of her energy to the feline, finally set in, and it all became just too much for the poor thing. She hadn't been able to sleep for such a long time, for fear of the voices in her head taking over.

But now they were gone, replaced with a sense of pure and utter bliss.

And with it came weariness.

Tired.

She was so...

Tired....

Staggering forward, she managed half a step...

And that was it. The countless number of trees swooned before her eyes as her legs began to give out, her knees knocking together once twice, then with a small sigh, the newly transformed hollow slumped down against the nearby tree, closed her eyes, and passed out.

Leaving Ashido to shake his head in wonderment at what he'd just witnessed.

"What the devil are you?" The shinigami muttered to himself, staring intently at the vasto lorde, and her 'pet'. "You don't fight at all like a hollow, yet you have no qualms about eating to survive. You saved a menos, and now, you show kindness to this little gillian."

_'But still, if I leave her be, then she might become a threat..._

The cat wriggled out of her arms, and hissed at Ashido, baring its teeth whilst the soul reaper raised his blade.

If it could speak, no doubt the feline would've called him many a foul name.

Pity squirmed its way into his soul, and for a just a second, his resolve wavered.

It was then that he noticed the hairpins she seemed to have attached to her mask. Stabbing his sword into the sand, the redhead crouched down to peer at her intently, confirming his suspicions that the clips were indeed fused to her mask.

But why?

Why on earth would a hollow have something like this?

"Hey."

They weren't exactly known for their fashion sense, so why these?

"HEY!"

"Hmm?" He turned his attention to the cat, who hissed again, and even surprised him by standing up on its hind legs. "You...can talk?"

"Oh, really? You just happened to notice?" The feline glared at him, her sarcastic voice that of a teenage girl, sounding very irritated and peevish to boot. "We've got ourselves a regular Einstein here folks!"

The cat didn't flinch when Ashido pointed his sword at her.

"You speak as if you can defend yourself." He really, _really_wasn't in the mood for this, and was sorely tempted just to kill them both here and now, thusly ridding himself of his guilt in the process. "But you're not even an adjuchas, and therefore, I could kill you in a heartbeat."

"Oh?" Its eyes seemed to gleam. "Then you're in for a surprise."

A thin cloud of mist gathered around the feline, who wore a slight frown once her transformation had finished. Now, standing before him, was a bespectacled girl with short, auburn red hair, clad in a an V-neck, white, sleeveless hakama, complete with a long, flowing skirt that stopped just short of black zaori sandals.

Her eyes, a slight mix of redish blue, were mirrored by jagged red tattoos, that which ran from the corner of her eyelids, to the nape of her neck,where what looked like a necklace of bone feathers lay.

In reality, these, were the remnants of her mask.

There was no mistaking what she was.

An arrancar.

"Now, if you don't mind, _I'll_ be the one to carry her, thank you very much."

Reaching down, she hefted Orihime up as if she weighed no more than a feather. But it was the way she carried herself both herself _and_Orihime that warranted attention. It was not a simple hefting over the shoulder, as if she were baggage, but tenderly, gently cradling the strawberry blond in thin arms that looked far weak to even carry a sword, much less another human being.

The two locked eyes for a moment.

"Still wanna try your luck?" The girl glared at him intently, just daring the shinigami to make a move, as she revealed what looked like a small cross bracelet dangling from her wrist. "You _might_get Orihime, but by the time you've pulled your sword outta her, I'll already have _your_ head on a silver platter." She licked her lips as she said this, making it all too clear that she was just looking for an excuse to kill him.

Ashido didn't really have much of a choice here.

A vasto lorde he could handle.

An arrancar?

Even with his bankai, he'd be hardpressed to kill her before another hollow showed up.

That, and he really didn't feel like pressing his luck.

The redhead now jerked her head to the right.

"Lead the way."

--

"Oh....

Orihime awoke some time latter, rubbing her head and taking in her surroundings. She lay on a simple white cot, complete with a pillow and a sheet, both of which had been thrown down at the foot of the bed.

It was a humble setup, with nothing more than a pot in the corner, beside the open archway, from where the scent of food wafted in.

She didn't recognize this place, but what she did know, was that this was not Las Noches.

Mildly relieved, Inoue staggered to her feet, leaning against a nearby wall, pressing tightly against it with both hands-

Wait.

_Hands_?

Surprised, the girl looked down, and indeed, those were now perfectly normal _human_fingers, albeit tipped with razor sharp claws, whereas the fingernails should've been. Likewise, her elbows, shoulders, and knees' no bore some sort of spike as well. Though they looked little more like a spiky set of shoulder, elbow, and knee-pads, than anything else.

Clenching a hand into a fist, they clacked together, creating a sound akin to that of a wind chime.

Nervously, she reached up to her face, careful not to scratch herself.

Her mask, had gone through a similar change.

The remains of her mask were no longer a sharp and jagged series of spikes, but now as she explored the shape and make of the mask, consisted of a smooth helmet covering the upper half of her face, with slanted eye holes, a row of teeth sewn across her chin like a strap, for the mask covered her entire face, exposing only the lower half of her jaw.

"Oh good, you're awake, Orihime."

Startled, Inoue watched as an all too familiar face entered through the door, carrying a tray of food. As usual, the redhead appeared calm and aloof, but now, she seemed genuinely ecstatic that Orihime had awoken.

"Wh-Where am I? What happened to-"

"As for where you are, well...let's just say that you're somewhere safe." The redhead interrupted, smiling softly as she sat on the bed next to her. "And as for your little 'pet', well, she's a lot closer than you might think."

When all Orihime did was blink, the redhead sighed, set the tray aside, and stood up.

"Watch."

With a silent rustle, she allowed the wings, now much larger, easily a six foot wingspan overall, to unfurl. But if that was not enough, she removed the glasses, allowing the strawberry blond to get a good look at her face.

"Now do you recognize me, hime?" She asked, lettting the affectionate title slip. "I'd rather not have to grope you to jog your memory."

All at once, the memory came flooding back.

"Ch-Chizuru...?"

The arrancar laughed softly, giving a low, graceful bow with her skirt.

"At your service."

**Alright, a quick note. When a shinigami or Quincy dies, they are eventually reincarnated, with no memories of their past life whatsoever. That cuts out Rukia Renji, and Uryu. When a human dies, he or she can become a hollow, if they're too attached to their past life, which is why Chizuru and Orihime had an out. Who knows, Ichigo's sisters may even show up...:) Next time: Of Broken Masks and Broken Dreams.**


	23. Battle Lust

**Alright, lets clear some things up. First, Inoue Orihime is STILL a vasto lorde, not an arrancar, not just yet. Chizuru was _not_ killed by the shinigami, but was instead killed by a wayward hollow during the Karakura battles. That is all. **

"We're here."

At last, after what seemed like an endless walk, they'd arrived, their destination. Shading her eyes from the sun with a hand, Shaolin Fong surveyed her surroundings. Looking slowly from left to right, she beheld a wide, open room, which was really more of a open cube, providing high white plaster walls, ending in a thin opening, but lacking any sort of roof overhead, and exposing them both to the arid desert air.

However, the arena itself was far from pristine, its polished surface knicked and scratched, with long, deep, furrows running left and right, creating a crude criss-cross pattern. Dark stains could be seen on the walls, and she wasn't so naieve to not recognize the putrid scent of blood lingering in the air.

"My personal training facility." He replied to her questioning stare, his footsteps echoing in the wide, dimly light space. " When I brought Shinji and the others here, and I made Hachi teach me how to set up a barrier. This was the end result." He now spared her a glance along with the quiet sentence: No one will be able to interfere with us here."

Blushing at the innuendo, Shaolin looked down at her feet, nervously tenting her fingers. "Master?" she blinked, finally looking up as he walked away from her, taking a distance of at least a yard before stopping. Turning to face her, Ichigo now unbuckled the belt which bound his three zanpaktou to his hip.

Tossing each weapon aside, where they lay in the northenmost corner.

Beckoning her forward to the series of tests he had set up, which were in fact, little more than bags of sand disguised as shinigami, the face of the ryoka set itself into a grim line. Before they started anything, he needed to see her skills firsthand.

"Now, show me what you can do."

She nodded.

"Hai!"

As he looked on, cold, unfeeling, merciless, much like his mask, those brown pools stared at her intently, watching the former captain perform a lengthy series of sonido, basic hand to hand combat, and cero.

At last, he broke the silence, the sound of his footfalls approaching her, prompting the arrancar to look up from the shattered dummies and sandbags. Sweat pooled upon the floor, dripping from her forehead, which she now wiped with the back of her sleeve.

"Try a more direct approach." Ichigo answered, steeping up behind her, taking both her left and right wrist. "Otherwise, you're likely to get yourself killed when you're back's turned." Immediately, Shaolin stiffened, her entire body going rigid, only to relax a moment later, as he guided her hand forward, pressing Suzemabachi's tip into a ruined sandbag, then dragging it across in a short, slashing motion.

"Like that."

She nodded to herself, trying to ignore how his body was pressed into her back, and focus on the lesson at hand.

Which, at this point, was _ridicuously_ hard to do.

No, at the moment, all she could feel was his breath, hot on her cheek, his chin, resting in the crook of her neck, his hair, tickling at her nose, his...

"Hey, you listening?"

"Y-Yes!" She sputtered, his words dragging her out of her fantasy.

"Good."Came the reply, as he pulled away. "Now, we'll start...with unarmed combat."

Shaolin paled, her eyes reflecting uncertainty.

Even in unarmed combat, she could seriously hurt him!

"B-But master, w-what if I-

Squaring his shoulders, Ichigo flicked both hands and so suddenly, he had her by the arm. "Don't think, just _feel_." Before she could ask him just what he meant by that, he was already heaving _her_ towards the wall. She scrunched her eyes shut, clearly intending to brace herself, but instead, her eyes, those orbs of brilliant silver, snapped open, and saw the look on his face.

Dissapointment.

He was...

Dissapointed.

She'd dissapointed him.

_'No!'_

Instinct, all those centuries of honed battle that her body could never forget, kicked in. Something, not rage, not fury, but _adrenaline_, pumped through her veins, empowering, giving her a strength she'd never known before.

A small gasp escaped the arrancar.

_This...This_ was what he meant.

Twirling in midair, Shaolin controlled her momentum, channeling it to the tips of her heels. Discarding Suzemabachi, she rebounded off the plaster with explosive force, bulleting forward like a missile, locked on target. A wordless scream escaped her mouth, fingertips locking into a fist, but Ichigo roared right back, countering her own right hook with a hard left of his own.

Sparks flew from the collision carrying the two into the wall the off it and into the air, then down to earth again with a explosion of dust.

Both crumpled back from the blow, but to Shaolin's surprised shock, Ichigo _grinned _as he skidded back, his sandals digging deep into the tiled floor to slow himself_. _Straightening up, the vizard rubbed away the scorch mark, and...._laughed._

Swinging

"Yes! There it is!"

Springing away, she saw that oh so familair battle lust back in his eyes, wiping out everything else.

"More! Show me...MORE!"

The next blow came unexpectedly swiftly. Suzumebachi cut through the air and with it came several strands of orange hair. Although it hadn't drawn blood, the close swipe was a reminder to the former shinigami just how nasty her zanpaktou was. Ichigo found just how much Soifon had improved when he caught the girl's foot with both hands. It was the only way to actually hold onto the appendage. Only a few days ago, he could've swung Soifon around with just one arm._ 'Well...she was a captain for a reason,' _Ichigo reminded himself of this as he twisted his head to the side, evading a flurry of gravity-defying kicks that were thrown his way by Shaolin.

Simply _amazing_ to come so far in so little time.

_'Is...Is he really this strong?'_ Soifon just managed to block the relatively-slow kick her master had just now leveled against her, but without his mask, and his refusal to use a weapon, he _still_ had her by the leg, and that meant she wasn't going anywhere unless... Using a large portion of her strength, the girl planted her fist into the stone flooring of the room and used it as a platform to aim her free foot at his face, hoping to buy herself some time.

Although it was blocked, it _did_ make Ichigo release her other leg and the two separated. Now, on opposite sides of the room, Soifon could make an objective assessment. Her honed instinct once again took over, the metal that made her the Second Division's Captain.

"You've grown, Soifon," Ichigo murmured, rubbing his forearm. The force of the Captain's blows actually left that arm numb, and that was a little surprising. "That actually...stung, just a little bit." Things were starting too look up; if she had this kind of raw strength, then all she needed was a greater level of control over it. "I'm impressed.

For her part, Soifon was absolutely elated.

"A-Arigatou!" She bowed in turn, "Th-Thank you very much!"

Ichigo allowed a small smirk to play across his lips.

"Heh. You're welcome." No sooner had the words passed, then a flood of spiritual pressure slammed down upon Shaolin's shoulders, nearly forcing the woman to her feet and blurring her vision. Throughout it all, the static form of her master extended a hand, as if he wanted her to advance. "Now, I think that's more than enough."

Unbidden, Zabimaru flew across the floor, smacking into his palms with an audible pop."Time to get the lead out." With one swing, the blade, then the vizard himself pounced at her, forcing the former captain to roll away, once, twice, then three times, as Zabimaru threatened to silence her forever.

Then there was blood.

As the third attack came in from above, Shaolin actually slipped as she tried to slide under the spikes, resulting in the zanpaktou ripping a chunk of skin from her right shoulder. Gasping in pain, Shaolin clutched at the wound, and for a moment, just a _moment_, forgot whom she was fighting. Her entire being now screamed furiously, and before she could stop herself...

Suzemabachi found its mark.

As the Homonka crest appeared just above his left eye,then covered it and a small portion of his forehead and cheek, whilst the blood dripped down. "Agh! Sonova- Ichigo hissed in both surprise and pain, whilst Shaolin stared at the blood coating the tip of Suzemabachi.

Fearing the worst, she immediately stepped back and fell to one knee, head inclined in humility. With every fiber of her being, she willed the crest to dissapear, and so it did, leaving no more than a thin line running the length from Ichigo's nose, to just above his eye.

Doubtlessly it would scar.

"M-Master, I-

"No, its alright." Fighting the urge to hit her, Ichigo bit his lip, shaking his head slowly, and covering his eye. "Just... a papercut."

"A-Are you sure-

"I already told you." He frowned down at the arrancar now, "I'm fine-

_Are you?_

All at once, his eyes went wide, almost in horror.

"Move." He hissed, clutching at his face, the command becoming a plea as he spoke once more. "I said **_move!"_**

Shaolin did as she was told, rolling to the right as the whistling wind echoed in her ears. She was right to have heeded the warning, for less than a second later, Zabimaru slammed into the ground, ripping out a huge chunk of the flor as it came away.

Ichigo now glared at her with yellow black eyes, and something, his mask, covered half his face.

**_"Now, where were we?!"_**

Laughing aloud, he again cast Zabimaru towards her, forcing the lithe girl to perform a stunning feat of acrobatics in evasion, but even then, those skills were not enough to spare her entirely.

Because now, Zabimaru all but _flew_ at her, and Shaolin, slowed by what she had just seen, couldn't get away in time. Crying out in surprise, the arrancar threw up both hands, grabbing the serated edge of the whip like blade, and vaulting over it with all the grace of an acrobat, then dropping flat as the combat type sword again whisked over her head, creating a hot rush of air in its wake.

But now it circled around, hissing as if it were alive, coming in low and fast!

Gasping aloud, Shaolin forced reaitsu into her hands, forming a premature safforn cero, which catapaulted her into the air. Although she'd burned her hands from her own reiyroku, at least she'd gotten a chance to actually _breathe._

Indeed, Ichigo was relentlessly persistent, and even as the zanpaktou returned to its usual size and shape, he still showed no signs of stopping, even when her lungs screamed for air. Grunting, he swayed wipped its sword form towards Shaolin, sweeping her clear off her feet, heaving the compact woman into the air.

Surely, time for pleasantries was over. If he wouldn't move... Sparks of lightning started to lance out of her shoulders, snapping at the sky and ground. Each strand cut a swath of earth as it skittered around on the ground.

Utilizing what little of her training she did remember, Shaolin gathered reishi at her hands and feet, digging them into the air, holding herself aloft. A bead of sweat dripped from her brown to her chin, then fell to the platform thirty feet below.

Summoned by her intense spiritual pressure, her Shunko, no longer incomplete, but truly something to behold, danced about her like lightning itself.

A small smirk twisting his lips, the vizard brandished the serpentine blade fearsomely, almost as if he were wielding a bat. Almost immediately, red reaitsu, the distinctive color of Zabimaru's aura, enveloped him, almost like a second skin. **_"Here we go, Zabimaru!"_**

The thing controlling her master looked surprised when the blade bent away from her.

**_"WHAT?!"_**

_'There!'_

Taking advantage of its distraction, Shaolin rushed forward, Suzememabachi gleaming in the dim light...

When Soifon pulled back the golden stinger that represented her released zanpakuto, Ichigo gapsed, the mask crumbling to pieces, as he sucked in a deep, raw, ragged gulp of air. His body trembled, once, twice, as he seemed to space out.

_'You again?!'_

_I warned you, didn't I? If I sense even the slightest weakness, I'll drag you down and take the crown for myself!'_

_'Well you won't get the chance again!' _Ichigo insisted, forcing his other half down, drowning him underneath his own power, silencing him....

For now.

"Master?"

"What?" He gave Shaolin a glare, which softened as he saw the look on her face. "Did I say we were finished?"

She shook her head.

"No master, but-but I-

"I'm fine. Don't worry about it." Ichigo insisted, with a tone that said it wasn't up for discussion. "Now...

Steadying himself against the wall, he held Zabimaru up before himself.

"Continue!"

"Hai!" She nodded once, and raised Suzemabachi high overhead.

Immediately, he knew what was coming. That terrifying reitsu, that pressure pushing his own down, the way the very _building_ was shaking...

Shaolin focused all her reiatsu into her blade, watching it start to morph and change. She could see Ichigo instantly drop whatever pretense of playfulness he still had and adopt a look the captain had only seen when her master was fighting a deadly opponent in the arena.

"Bankai!" He barked aloud, and with a brief, flash of red, Zabimaru coiled about him, hissing menacingly down at her, as if to threaten her. "Hihio, Zabimaru."But Shaolin paid the serpent no heed, for even though her Shunko crackled and spit about her, Ichigo held her gaze as if he were a god, the epicenter of her world.

"Don't you dare hold back." A genuine smirk, devoid of any malevolence this time, traced the features of his face. "You got that?"

In a strange way, this, those words were, the proudest moment of Soifon's life, past and present. A former life that Soifon would no longer allow herself to dwell on. This was him, her master, _her_ Ichigo-sama, the one who'd flipped her life, her _world _upside down, and made everything topsy turvy.

She wanted to show him her strength.

To make him proud.

"Picadura para muerte," The words were whispered, like a great, terrible secret just between the two of them, "Gran... Avispa." **(Sting to death grand hornet)**

The world shook and Las Noches itself seemed to cry out in pain...

--

Angry didn't even begin to describe Eva Tia as the images faded before her eyes.

Angry tears spilled forth from those brillian emerald pools, but she refused to sob, refused to snifle, instead burning the image of him, of that man, into her mind, swearing never to forget his face, nor his name.

Mere words could not hope to describe the turmoil in her soil.

Though she still hated and loathed Kurosaki Ichigo, at the moment, he was an unattainable goal, she could not kill him.

This captain...

Was another story.

"Toshirou Hitsugaya...

_'When next we meet...You will pay!'_

_--_

_(Soul Society/Kuchiki manor)_

"Captain, are you sure?"

Byakuya Kuchiki cast the third seat of his division, a glare, as he put on his shihakusho, and donned his haori. Sliding Senbonzakur into is customary place within his sash, he rudely shoved past his subordinate.

"Silence, fool. This is none of your concern."

--

Kenpachi Zaraki smirked.

"Tch."

"Huh?" Yachiru looked over at Zaraki from her customary perch upon his shoulder. A cheery smile spread across her face when she saw the look in his eyes. "Hey, Kenny, are you thinking about Ichi?"

"...Yeah, I guess ya might say that."

"Think we'll see him again?" The hyperactive fuku-taichou pressed, her unique red eyes blazing with curiosity.

"Oh, yeah. We'll meet again, count on it."

True, Kenpachi couldn't sense reaitsu, but his gut told him that a fight was coming.

A fight with Ichigo.

Soon.

Very soon.

And if Ichigo didn't come to him...

He'd come to him.

Grinning, the most violent man in all of soul society licked at his lips, like a predator, hungry for his prey.

"Heh, I haven't been _this _excited in a long time...

(Meanwhile)

Both girls looked up as a small tremble shook the room.

"Scared?" Chizuru patted a stunned Orihime on the back. "Relax, that's probably just a few arrancar going at it....

All Inoue could do was nod, still wrapped up in the intense shock of it all.

If Chizuru was here, then that could mean Tatsuki was-was-

"Alive?" The redhead finished, and the vasto started in surprise. "Well, don't be surprised, but she is."

"Nani?" Behind the mask, Orihime's face blanked.

"Here." Chizuru placed a hand upon the cold facet of Orihime's mask, handing her a tattered rag as she did so. "Now, bite down on this, hime. If you scream, you'll wake up the others, and they need their rest."

Before Orihime could ask who, what, when, where or why-

"I'm sorry, but this _will_ hurt."

Chizuru grabbed her mask and _pulled_.

**Ah, it looks like things are picking up, are they not? Next time: Mobilized Assault! The final rankings of the Diablos and Espada!**


	24. A Family Reunion

**Sorry I was gone so long! I had to create new arrancar, new techniques, and I needed to wait for the Bleach manga to outdistance me! Well, now, lets continue, shall we?"**

Ichigo shielded his face with one arm, but laughed into the storm of reaitsu that swallowed him whole. There was just something about fighting a powerful opponent that really got his blood going. When he fought, he could forget about all the pain and sorrow of his life, and focus on the battle.

Shaolin stepped out of the smoke, and his eyes widened slightly as they locked with hers. Her weapon of choice took the form of long claws on her fingers, each similair to the shape of her shikai state., but that wasn't grabbing his attention. Her hakama had been blown off by the force of the explosion, and now she stood before him, transformed. From her back stretched two gossamer thin wings, golden and spraying dust all about.

Her form had very little to cover it, for she was mostly shrouded by a golden powder that sparkled off her skin when the sunlight hit it, exposing two swirling lines, golden tattoo's that curved from the corner of her eyes. Golden wire circled up her body, covering her assets well enough, but aside from that wire thin mesh, she was practically naked.

"Ha!" Ichigo grinned. "Nice _resurreccion_! Now let's see what it can do!"

He threw Hihio Zabimaru at her, and the building exploded.

--

_(Meanwhile)_

"I'll kill him." She muttered, tossing and turning in her sleep, the sheets spread about her waist. "I'll kill that bastard...both of them!"

"So, you want to kill me now, do you?" Ichigo approached so suddenly, emerging from the fog of her mind. He had that mask on again, and at that she froze. "I can see it in your eyes." He continued, coming to a stop before her, tapping her on the forehead with a finger, "You can barely restrain yourself, even now."

It was true, every word, and they both knew it.

He eyed her broken, useless weapon, lying some ways to the side, just within her grasp. He kicked it towards her. "C'mon then." With a nudge of his foot, he kicked the zanpaktou towards her. "_Try_ to kill me."

His voice seemed to echo on and on.

Rage flooding her veins, she made herself rise-

But no sooner had her fingers curled around the hilt of her weapon, then it was over. In the blink of an eye, he'd stepped forward, drawn the sword, and now, _he_ had her pinned to the floor, the tip of the Zangetsu pressed to her throat.

But now, the scene changed.

"Hey, do you know _difference_ between you and I?" His lips curved up into a sneer as he stood over her, laughing when she scowled up at him. How ironic, that now _he, _A shinigami, those they hated, those that they loathed was the one with all the power, the one who called all the shots. "Do you _know_ what _seperates_ the two of us, _Eva Tia?"_

He took great pleasure in spitting the words back at her face.

_"Power. You're weaker than me."_

Something cold stabbed her throat.

"!!" Eva started with a small cry, shaken by the nightmare. She'd literally relieved her humilation at his hands, over and over again, but this time, she'd nearly been killed in her own dream. It was there, whenever she slumbered, that he tormented her.

Her cheeks were wet.

Tears.

She'd been crying in her sleep.

--

"Welcome." Ichigo, still bearing some cuts from his spar, strode down the stairs to where his army waited. As always, he was accompanied by Lillenette and Shaolin, but with a wave of his hand, he sent them to join the masses before him, leaving Gin and Tousen to stand at the stairwell. He was met with a slightly mixed reaction at this, but once more, he quelled them with his spiritual pressure. "I'm so glad everyone could make it." Many of the weaker hollow had been weeded out, but from those maggots had come the elite. Numeros, fraccion, Diablos and Espada alike, they now stood before him.

Szayel was the last to join the group. Ichigo nodded to the scientist and took the Hogyokyu back, into his hand. With a little experimentation, a wondorous discovery had been made only hours ago. Arrancar that had already been exposed to the Hogyoku could be exposed _again, _resulting in an exponential power boost. Twice was the limit however, as several adjuchas had learned the hard way, simply imploding after being exposed to the radiation a third time.

Therefore, his army, though small, was double the strength of their actual numbers.

"You've shown me your strength, and now, I present to you, _our_ future." There was the sound of footsteps, and then Shinji and the rest of the vizards stepped into view, halting just behind Ichigo. Muffled gasps rose from the arrancar, but after a moment, they quieted, noting the all white garb in which the hybrids were now clad.

Everyone seemed calm enough, with the exception of Hiyori, who was grumbling something under her breath.

"Now....

Grimmjow,Ulquiorra, Szayel, Nel, Eva, Saita, Jacqli, Rolo, Agro, Ying Yang, Shun, Shaolin, Kenshin, Lillenette, Apache, Mila-Rose, Sun-Sun, these arrancar stepped forward as Ichigo read their names from the air. The rankings weren't quite full as of yet, but they would surely fill up as more and more hollow gathered to the cause.

"First, the cero espada." Eva looked quite surprised when her name was called. But she proudly stepped forward, locking eyes with Ichigo and never once breaking the stare, not even as he pressed the symbol just below the nape of her neck, and above her breast.

"Why?" She asked, as the brand left her flesh.

"You're strong." He replied simply.

"You know this doesn't change anything." Her eyes, oh yes, she was still serious about killing him. "If you leave the slightest opening-

"Yeah yeah." Ichigo waved her off. "Once you repay me, blah blah blah. I get it."

Silently, Eva strutted back into the lineup.

"Primera, you're up next." Ichigo beckoned, and Agro, lumbered forward. Originally, he had meant to make Ulquiorra 1st, but Grimmjow would never tolerate that, so he'd have to change a few things around. It simply wouldn't do to lose two espada, both whom could release twice.

"Many thanks, master."

Ichigo gave him a rare smile as the arrancar proffered the back of his hand. The new _primera_ did not so much as wince when the vizard carved the tattoo into his hand with the brand. This being done, Agro stepped back into line. "Segunda." To everyone shock, Ying _and _Yang came forward, pulling down their collars, making it quite clear where they wanted their mark to be. Ichigo put half the number on each, signifying that they _both_ shared the rank of _segunda_ espada.

And so it continued, with Ulquiorra keeping his rank as _cuarta_, and Neliel officially becoming the tercera espada again. Shun became the _quinto_ espada, but insisted that the tatto be placed upon his forehead, for all to see. Shaolin took the rank of _sexta_ espada, and Grimmjow expressed some annoyance at this. Kenshin replaced the deceased Zommari as _Septima_, and Szayel of course remained the octava. Apache was given the title of novena.

"Grimmjow."

"Heh." Grimmjow had that grin of his again, and why not? After all, he had a sharper looking number on his back now, this tattoo rounded off with the symbol of flames. He was _Cero_ in Los Diablos. He shot Ulquiorra a smug, satisfied grin, to which the latter ignored without a word. Lillenette was given the rank of _primera_ in Los Diablos, and she grinned as the one was blazed into her back. Saita received third as promised, Jacqli staking her claim on fourth as the tattoo was burned into her right shoulder, and Rolo gaining fifth. Mila-Rose was the sixth, and Sun-Sun the seventh.

Now all that was missing was segunda, octava, and novena.

"Now, go choose your fraccion so we can-

_Ba-dump._

Everyone felt it a moment before the storm came.

It was impossible to miss it. The huge spike of reaitsu that rose in a giant pillar. Everyone could see it for miles around, but it was Ichigo who was most fixated upon it, the amber light dnacing in his eyes, the gravel crunching under his feet as he took a small step forward.

Jacqli, arched a delicate eyebrow.

"An arrancar? Hmm, and a natural one at that."

For a hollow to rip of its own mask was incredibly rare. Granted, every hollow, adjuchas or otherwise, had tried to remove their mask at one point, but the wailing of the souls they'd devoured would often force them back down.

"Ulquiorra." Ichigo ordered, unsheathing Zangetsu. "You're with me." The cuarta espada seemed to sense, and even understood, the vizard's unease as well, going so far as to draw his _Murcielago_. If this was a naturally evolved arrancar, then that meant they would likely turn violent when approached.

Yet...

_'What is this reaitsu? It feels...familiar.'_

--

_(Cave)_

With a loud, ear splitting crack, the mask finally came free.

"Ow ow ow ow." Orihime came out of the smoke, wincing, rubbing at her forehead. "Wh-What was that for?" Wait, now she could feel skin where before there had been nothing more that white porcelain mask. Slowly, she traced her own jawline, and was even then amazed to find that nothing remained of it-

Oh, wait,there it was, two small circles encircling her hair clips. Oh, and now she was naked. "Eep!" She squeaked, hastily trying to cover herself up. But a pair of hands draped a long white sheet over her shivering body, and Inoue looked up to see an amused smile from a Chizuru. "Congratulations, hime." With a small smile, the redhead held up a broken piece of glass.

Her face, that of her real self stared back at her, silvery violet eyes going wide in surprise. She could see a small hole, that of a hollow's, just below her neck and above her bosom. Unable to believe what had just happened, her mouth worked silently.

Chizuru patted her shoulder.

"Well, I think you can face Ichigo now, don't you-

A dull, invisible rumble slammed into them. Now, Chizuru displayed just a hint of surprise, stiffening as the screams of a thousand dying souls reached her ears in a choruse of unearthly wails and shrieks. "Hime, hide!" A loud, almost manic laugh could be heard from somwhere above them, as a host of reaitsu roared into existence, wiping out all the lesser hollows for miles around.

"Ichigo! Come out and fight me!"

The captains were here.

--

_(Near Las Noches)_

_"Ah!"_

The two vasto lorde jumped as the wake of the reaitsu rammed into them. At first glance they didn't even seem like vasto's, so small were they that they looked like children, female obviously, judging by the small bland bumps on their chest's that were the earliest beginning of breasts.

And like children, they feld from this monsterous power that came after them. It was terrible, this spirit force pressing down on them, strangling them as they ran from it. One, slightly taller than the other, gulped nervously. "Y-You gotta be kidding me!" Messy black hair could be seen behind her mask, a thin line that covered only her forhead, and the other girl, a brunnete, her mask in the shape of a a small clip on the side of her face, stumbled, and started to cry in fear as the reaitsu sped towards them.

"K-Karin!"

"Darnit Yuzu." The other grumbled, helping her up, the sight of the castle now so close, yet so far at the same time. "C'mon, we're almost there." Gritting her teeth, the young Kurosaki girl resolved to press onward with her sister, no matter the cost.

"D-Do you think Ichi-nii is there?"

"Yeah." Karin nodded, ignoring the dreaded reasoning that he was not. Trying to ignore their pursuers, now coming up on the horizon, and to make matters worse, they were slowly, steadily gaining. "Yeah, he's gotta be-

"OI!" A sarcastic voice bellowed. "What're two hollow's doing _here_?! It's dangerous!"

"Chire." From nowhere, a wall of petals rushed at them. With a cry of surprise, the two stumbled back, the whirl of blossoms buzzing overhead, creating a slight breeze as they circled back around.

"Getsuga Tenshou!"

A wall of black light deflected the petals, throwing them back to the man in the distance.

At that moment, two figures appeared atop the dome. They could just barely be seen atop the roof, their shadows falling over them in the moonlight. From here, Yuzu saw what looked like the flash of orange hair. Without another word, the man in black burst into the air, leaving a swathe of black light behind him.

"Ich-nii?"

The ground quaked and trembled as he and the pale skin man crashed into the sands, their white hot reaitsu turning the gravel beneath him to glass. "Byakuya." He addressed one of the men standing before him. "I thought I told you to-

"Ichi-nii?" Karin tried again, and abruptly, the vizard choked on his words. "W-What?" Glancing over his shoulder, he turned to face them then, and they saw the face of Ichigo, their big brother, staring back at them in complete, utter surprise.

"Karin?! Yuzu?!"

"You know them?" Ulquiorra arched an eyebrow.

"Y-Yeah!" Ichigo sputtered. "They're my sisters!"

**Well well, lookee here. Looks like Karin and Yuzu finally showed up, neh? Sorry, I just couldn't bear to kill them.**


	25. A Friend Returned?

Kenpachi Zaraki.

Byakuya Kuchiki.

Toshirou Hitsugaya.

Sajin Komamura.

These three captains, and their lieutenants, had been sent to Las Noches on a simple mission. Scout out the enemy's strength, determine their numbers, and then return to the Seireitei. A simple mission, one that should have been a _cakewalk_, especially with the experience and manpower they had behind it.

That is, until Kenpachi decided _he_ wanted to fight Ichigo, right here, _right now_, and proceeded to release all of his reaitsu, all at once. They'd scared two vasto lorde out of hiding by doing so, and now, those two vasto lorde turned out to be Kurosaki's sisters?

It had been confirmed that Ichigo already had seven vasto lorde under his command. Add these two and he'd be nearly powerful enough to usurp the Seireitei itself. Add in the fact that captain Soi-Fon was gone, leaving the second division, and therefore the Onmitskido itself in chaos and...

And now Kurosaki Ichigo _and _Ulquiorra Schiffer had come out greet them personally?

Oh, this could not end well.

"Karin?! Yuzu?!"

A flurry of petals alerted him to Senbonzakura.

"NO!" Throwing himself forward, the vizard hissed in pain as the blades dug into his back, tearing open his shihakusho. "Get down!" Kairn and Yuzu looked on in horror, witnessing his act to shield them, firsthand. "Ichi-nii!" Yuzu wailed, running to him, and immediately he dropped Zangetsu, holding both his sister's tight, as they cried into his chest.

"It's alright, I'm here." These were the face's of his sisters, but those were mask fragments lining their foreheads and ears. This was impossible, but the reaitsu told him all. Karin and Yuzu, vasto lorde? No, Karin probably fed Yuzu, there was no way the sweet innocent little girl could ever become so savage as to kill her own meal. Yeah, he could definitely see Karin doing something like that.

But still...

"Ulquiorra."

"Hai." The espada replied, but never once did he take his eyes of the shinigami before them.

"Take Karin and Yuzu away from here. Now. I losing my temper and I don't want them to be near me when i do."

"Understood." Bending down low, he scooped up the girls' one in each arm, and, despite there protests, dissapeared with a flash of sonido. Now Ichigo stood before four captains, alone. "Well," He scowled calmly. Though he could easily be overwhelmed if they were all to attack at once, such a thing would _not_ happen. "What now?"

As if to answer, he reached for Sode No Shirayuki.

"Bankai."

Ichigo showed no interest as Senbonzakura Kageyoshi swirled about him, in fact, he actually seemed _bored_. "Whattsamatter? That all you got?" Yanking Zabimaru from its sheathe instead, Ichigo grinned declaring bankai in turn, then, drawing the segments of the massive serpent around his form.

"Hikotsu Taiho!"

The captains scattered as he unleashed Renji's signature attack, the flash of red digging into the sands to create a massive explosion. Too late, Ichigo was there, kicking off Rangiku, then barreling into Toshirou. Caught unawares, Hitsugaya soon found himself at the mercy of the massive snake. Of course, there was no mercy to be had, not from Ichigo.

"Hmph." The vizard snorted, barely even pressing forward but still Hitsugaya was forced back. "Looks like they reattached your hand."

"Bastard." Byakuya scowled, bursting out of the shunpo and gathering Senbonzakura about himself tightly, rearranging the formation of the endless blades into another formation. Then Byakuya pulled out his ace.

"Gokei, Senbonzakura Kageyoshi."

"What?!" Ichigo hissed in surprise, propelling himself away from Toshirou as the renewed technique sped after him.

Too late.

Millions upon millions of Senbonzakura petals encircled him, digging through Zabimaru, into his back, his face, his arms, his legs, every single part of him. Nowhere was safe from this sphere of endless blade, no escape was possible from this hellish void of death.

With a dull crunch, he hit the ground, Zabimaru's shattered segments lying helplessly about him. Only to laugh, slowly, as they dissolved back into a sealed state, taking the shape of a normal katana.

"Nice." Ichigo got back up with a wild grin on his face. A slight twinge of concern could be seen in Byakuya's face when the vizard spoke. "I haven't seen that trick before, Byakuya!" No, not concern for the traitor of course, but rather, concern for himself. Kurosaki had just survived _Gokei_, and granted, he _was_ a bloody mess, but still...

When your opponent got back up and started to laugh, _especially_ after surviving your best attack, then _you_ were in some serious shit. He'd learned this from years of experience. And if Ichigo Kurosaki was the one laughing, oh then there would be hell to pay.

"What do you hope to accomplish alone?"

"Am I?" He clapped his hands, and in a blur, Grimmjow, followed by Agro, landed at his feet.

Then came Shaolin.

"You called?" She seemed to have reverted to her old personality somewhat, for she regarded her former captains with cold indefference in her eyes, and a merciless, thin smile. Gasps rose from some of captains and lieutenants, and even Byakuya could not remain impassive at this sudden betrayal. Kenpachi and Yachiru actually didn't seem to care, but then again, politics and betrayal were never their forte.

"Soifon taichou!"

_"Don't_ call me that!" Just like that, she reverted back to her new personality. "I'm _not_ on your side anymore!"

"But....why?" Toshirou finally managed. "Why are you with _him?"_

_"Why?"_ She frowned at Hitsugaya, disgusted by his weakness. "Simple. He gave me what I wanted, an out, and so I took it." Before the diminutive captain could hope to reply, Soifon whirled, clipping his temple with the back of her heel throwing him into a nearby pillar.

"And _that_ makes you my enemy!"

"See?" Ichigo chuckled as the two engaged in earnest. "You really, _really_ shouldnta done that."

Byakuya calmly withdrew Gokei Senbonzakura as Agro stepped between them, bracing himself when Ichigo reached to his visage. But a loud thud turned his attention to one Sajin Komamura, who held Tenken aloft before him."Now, it is _my_ turn." With a silent swish he stood beside the vizard. Too late, Ichigo whirled to see Sajin looming over him.

"Bankai!"

_'Shit!'_

A massive hand swatted the vizard into the wall of Las Noches.

"Ichigo-sama!" Shaolin cried out in protest, but her concern was not needed.

**_"Oh, that_ hurt."** Ichigo stepped out of the rubble, dusting himself off. His Vizard mask was on now, the red and white streaks lining the left side of his face while the right half remained gone, shattered by the _cero's _blast. His clothing was tattered slightly and his left sleeve was completely gone. His gold and black eyes were still burning on the captain ahead of him.

"Tengen!"

He erupted out of the _shunpo _to see a smoldering crater where he'd been a moment ago. With a startled hiss, he leapt backwards, mere moments before another fist from Sajin's gigantic bankai crushed him flat. What this guy lacked in speed, he more than made up for in power.

A low growl made its way up the vizard's throat.**_"C'mon! Come get me!"_** With a swift movement, the missing half of his mask re-grew as he waved his palm over it, the white bone moving like milk as it molded itself into a ghastly skull.

Kokojou Tengen Myou raised its fist, slamming it down into the vizard. Ichigo winced as his knees buckled, unable to tolerate the sheer power of the fox faced captain's bankai. Sajin felt a triumphant smile play across his lips.

"This ends here!"

"So it does." Ichigo replied, rooling aside to reveal the _Primera_, standing in his shadow. Lillenette paused for a moment, savoring the shock and horror evident upon Sajin's face, the terror in the eyes of her victim, before at last she fired.

_"Cero Metralleta."_

A massive wave of _cero _erupted from Lillenette's right gun, and rained downwards at Komamura. He scrambled to get up and run, but he knew he wasn't going to make it. The wall of red was quickly descending upon him – he could feel its heat on his retreating back. He turned and crossed both arms over his body in an attempt to guard himself from the blast, his eyes closing as the Hollow inferno charged closer.

The explosion came, but there was no pain, no burning. He felt nothing but darkness underneath his closed eyes. But, for some reason, he knew he was alive and unharmed. He opened his eyes, slowly at first, before they flew wide at the sight. His mouth hung open as the shadow of _Kokujou Tengen Myo'ou _enveloped his prone body_._

"I see," Ichigo said as the massive _bankai _fell to its knees, the upper half of the gigantic samurai already having been obliterated by the barrage of _cero. _"So you _were_ still alive?"

Komamura Sajin stood on shaky legs as his zanpakuto began to return to its sealed state. Blood was still leaking from his wounded chest, but his face remained calm despite the obviously painful gash in his flesh. His upper lip curved upwards and he snarled between labored breaths.

Byakuya briefly glaqnced towards his fellow captain

"Don't focus on me, Byakuya." Komamura growled arrogantly despite his wobbly, blood-soaked frame. "Haven't you an opponent of your own to fight?"

"Sajin…" Byakuya said reverently as another explosion shook the ground around them. He gave his companion one last look, a glance of gratitude, before he vanished in a whisper of _shunpo, _punctuating another buzz of sonido as Agro gave chase_. _Ichio watched him go with indifference, his brown irises watching him for only a moment before he turned his attention back to the blood-soaked Komamura Sajin.

"Shouldn't you be headed that way too?" Lillenette asked with a sigh, twirling one of her pistols one a finger. "Or do you think he'll be enough?"

"Why have you sheathed your blade, Espada?" Komamura asked, ignoring the taunt as his voice grew more strained by the second. In the background, Grimmjow raged against Kenpachi, the two of them going all out and having a blast.

"Because I lost interest in this fight already," Lillenette replied, punctuating the statement with a yawn and leaving her eyes closed. "Besides, nothing I do at the moment's really going to affect the outcome of _your_ invasion. _We_ have already been declared the victors."

"If that is so," the captain replied, taking a weak and shuffling step forward, "then you should understand that I cannot die here fighting you once more."

The primera popped one eye open, the pink orb regarding the wounded and bloody

Shinigami with slight irritation. "You really wanna die, don't you?" She sighed and took aim, the light bouncing off the metal of her weapons. She looked at the staggering Shinigami with a sense of pity; this felt...wrong somehow.

"Do it." Ichigo ordered, and without a thought, she pressed the barrel to Sajin's head and pulled the trigger. Sajin slumped to the ground, missing most of his upper another tired sigh, Lillenette blew the smoke off her barrel, ignoring the horrified, disgusted looks of his comrades.

"Well what now?" She turned her attention in the direction in which Byakuya had gone. "Should we go after him?"

"There's no need." Ichigo shook his head as Agro and Byakuya blurred back into view, then dissapeared again. Now, he turned his attention to the lieutenants and third seats that had followed their captain's into _his _sanctuary. "But I am getting tired of these party crashers." With a small snarl, he grabbed at the air, and at a glance, Lillenette did the same, ripping open a massive Garaganta.

"Time to send them packing."

Grimmjow cackled, touching at the air as well, as did Agro and Shaolin.

"Adios, Shinigami!"

The rips spread further and further, creating a large vaccum with an irresistable hum. That was not the danger, rather At the last moment, Byakuya seemed to sense that something was terribly, terribly wrong.

Locking one arm around Lillenette's, Ichigo held her steady as the howling wind drowned out all other sound, pulling at those who remained alive. Something was stepping out of the void, something big.

From the abyss, the entire hollow army emerged, numbering somwhere in the thousands. And behind them, came hundreds of Gillian, their roars a dull hum over the wind. One look at the forces rallied against them, and the message was blindingly clear. Stay and be massacred, or:

"Retreat." Byakuya bit out through clenched teeth. "Fall back and retreat." Toshirou made an exasperated sound at the back of his throat, but leaped towards the portal anyways along with Rangiku. Kenpachi, with Yachiru on his shoulder reluctantly did so, but not before locking eyes with Ichigo.

"Next time, Ichigo! Next time you and meet we're gonna have one helluva fight!"

The vizard smirked.

"I look forward to it."

With that the shinigami vanished. The masses milled uncomfortably behind them, that is, until Ichigo turned and showed them Sajin's corpse. "Do you still doubt me?"He didn't have to say another word, for the moment they saw the captain's corpse, everyone let out a cheer.

"Behold."

--

"Okay, lets try this again."

Ichigo was used to pain when transforming, and thus did not react when Zangetsu slid into his thigh, the blood spraying out in a crimson shower. Withoug even flinching, he pulled it out, jamming its tip into the soil, taking no heed to the crimson puddle pooling before his feet.

Ulquiorra ripped off his left arm, and black blood pooled at his own feet. As his arm regenerated, he bent down to draw a small circle around himself. However, he did not close it, but left a portion of it open at the north.

Ichigo traced his foot across the crimson, making a duplicate circle around himself. He too left a portion of it open, and now, the bloody circles pulsed a steady white. A thin line of crystal light extended from each circle connecting them.

Jacqli stepped into the line of light, and it basked her in its golden glow. The light split from her, and traveled to where the still breathing bodies of Loly and Menoly lay. As Hachi had mentioned, two souls were required for this technique. One was required to draw in the said soul, and another required to bind it into physical form.

Unfortunately, it wouldn't neccesarily _kill_ the arrancar being used as transfer points, but it might teach them a well deserved lesson. As well as strip them of their pride and , a tendril of dread soon coiled to a knot of raw anticipation in Ichigo's gut. This kido was mighty, but once it was completed, it could only be used once in a lifetime, for the user at least.

To use it after completing the kido...

It would mean certain death for all those involved in the spell.

Knowing full well that this was a deadly risk, Ichigo took a deep breath, and began the incantation.

_"Ye lord! Mask of bone and sinew, all creation abides, flutter of silent wings, ye who bears the name of Man! In the abyss of conflagration, waiting at the far heavens, I call thine name!"_

Ulquiorra now took up the chant, holding both hands out in what looked to be a shrug. A column of black transparent light shot up from his circle, then a pillar of white from Ichigo's, from which they could still be seen. Now, they began exchanging incantations, with Ichigo beginning and Ulquiorra alternating:

_In my right hand, I hold the stone that connects the borders of worlds. In my left hand, I hold the blade that binds existence. A bank of clouds comes, striking the gate, ripping it open!"_

_"Heart of the south!"_

_"Eye of the north!"_

_"Finger of the west!"_

_"Foot of the east!"_

_"Arrive with the wind and depart with the rain!"_

Both lights pierced the heavens now, drawing clouds inward, creating a roiling mass of heat and moisture. An ominous rumbling sound was heard, then the very sky itself was torn asunder, literally creating a hole in the air. The rippling void was similair to a garganta, but beyond its black abyss, white light shone.

_"Sprinkled on the bones of the living, renew the oath!"_

_"Sharp tower, pierce the heavens, draw forth the ring!"_

_"Move and become the wind, stop and become the calm."_

_"The sound of the maiden's tears fills this void." _Jacqli, who had remained silent thus far, uttered this, the last line, clasping both hands over her chest. _"And brings a second coming of the sacred battle."_ Ironically, her eyes _were _swimming with tears, but she blinked them away, let them stream down her face and cried:

"Bakudo# 100: Keikatsu Kio!" She declared this, Jacqli did, and the circle in which Loly and Menoly lay was abruptly consumed in a bolt of pure black of lighting. "Now!" Commanded Ichigo, and Ulquiorra flexed his wrist, summoning a Lanza del Relámpago, which he now clutched in his hand. His arm drew back, made ready to throw it at the void.

The lance of lightning struck straight and true, passing through the rip, which now began to spark furiously. Ichigo still went through the motions, a sense of elation seizing him. There, the light had begun to gather, and with three seperate individuals maintaining it, the kido was well underway.

For good measure, he'd sacrificed a few other or so arrancar.

After all, he had to be _sure_ this worked.

There was a bolt of lightning, and a figure rose from the smoke. Ichigo peered into the cloud with anticipation.

"Urgh, wha?" A figure staggered out of the haze, clad in a ripped, tattered white uniform. But those glasses, that voice, made him unmistakeable. He blinked a few times, then pushed the spectacles back up upon his face.

"Kurosaki?"

"Uryu!" Ichigo laughed, his heart soaring at the sight of his friend, stepping out of the circle. He was slightly shaken, but aside from that the Quincy was alright. "Hey, Uryu!" The last quincy warily edged his way through the crowd towards his shinigami counterpart.

"What happened?"

"It's a long story." Ichigo chuckled, actually releived to be on the other end of Ishida's piercing glare for once.

"Wait, something else is coming through." Ulquiorra frowned suddenly as the portal began to fluctuate wildly. Everyone stiffened as not one, but two spiritual pressures' slammed into them. Wait, something was wrong, terribly, terribly wrong. This reaitsu was that of a released espada, two released espada.

Ichigo was greeted with an unplesant sight. Something had been brought back, but it was not Rukia, it was not Chad, and it certainly wasn't Rukia. There were two figures standing within the alchemic circle, and one of them now spoke.

"What is this? What...how am I here?"

"Well. _This_ was unexpected."

"What?" Eva blinked in surprise as the first figure stepped out of the circle. Her eyed were wide, her mouth hanging slightly open at what she saw before her eyes. No, this wasn't possible, this was inconceivable, it...

The tan skin, teal eyes and blond hair were a dead giveaway.

"Sister!"

_"OI! Watch it!" _Grimmjow stumbled back a pace when Eva shoved him aside and ran to the blond, dissapearing in a buzz of sonido, then reappearing to tackle her sibling in a hug. The blond was clearly surprise by this, but shakily returned the embrace.

_"No!"_ Ichigo hissed to himself, ripping at his hair in frustration. _"What the hell is this?!" _Was it because he'd sacrificed too many arrancar, or did it have something to do with so much hollow reiatsu as opposed to that of a human?

He felt like he'd achieved a hollow victory, no pun intended.

"Yo." The man scratched the back of his head and yawned at the dejected vizard and an equally surprise Lillenette. "So you're in charge now, eh kid?"

"How did he do that?"

A dull rumble ran through the crowd.

Halibel Tia and Starrk had returned.

Neliel shook her head sadly. "Ichigo, I'm starting to believe that there really is no hope for you."

"And why is that?" Ichigo rounded on her suddenly, his words spiteful, coarse, cruel. "Huh?! Is it so wrong for to want my friends back?! Is it?!" She stared at him blankly, refusing to be rattled by his speech, untrue words spoken out of anger.

"No, but it is wrong to go so far to do so." She elaborated then, explaining that once a shinigami died, they were similarly reincarnated in the real word, with no memories of their past existence, and not a trace of their former power, no matter how great.

_"A_ common enemy... They say banding together in the face of a common enemy is humanity's bad habit... But that's wrong. It's not a bad habit, but an instinct that all living creatures possess. The truth is the spiritual bond formed in those instances is-"

"Oh shut up." Ichigo clicked his tongue wearily and sighed, ignoring all the praise he was receiving from the troops. "Nel, I'm sorry, but I really, _really_ don't wanna talk anymore." He felt as if this experience had taken something from him somehow, something he couldn't take back in turn. Soul Society was, would fall at his hand. They'd lost two captain's, one to betrayal, and the other to death.

"I just....wanna go see Karin and Yuzu now."

"What of that spiritual pressure?" Ulquiorra now appeared beside him. "That _was_ the reason we left Las Noches to begin with."

Ichigo waved towards the distance.

"Fine. Go and find it if you want. I really don't care. But take someone with you, alright?"

"I might as well go." Everyone started, even Ulquiorra when Starrk spoke up. "Nothing better to do anyway."

"Go." Ichigo grunted, and the two vanished.

**Ah, and so another captain falls and two espada return. Well well, it looks like Soul Society is in some serious shit now, doesn't it? :)Sorry, but the fight between Ichigo and Kenpachi is gonna be a big one, and I'm saving it for later chapters. Next time: Victory celebrations, a tender moment, a well deserved rest, and preparations for vengance. Hehehe, any guesses as to who this 'tender' moment is gonna be with?**


	26. Tension

**An interesting point was made by one of my reviewers. What resurreccion will Starrk have, now that Lillenette has Los Lobos? Well, I can't describe it just yet, but I'll at least give you the name. "Aullido: El Lobo." Also, Eva's hair, the coloration, and its length, is the same as C.C.'s from Code Geass. Just thought I'd clear that up a bit.**

"Welcome." Ichigo waved a hand to the masses before him, well aware that some of the arrancar had begun to have second thoughts concerning his leadership. "I thought I'd share an interesting bit of news with you all."

They feared him, he understood that. After all, he'd just brought three people back from the dead, plus an entirely different ranking system seperate to that of the espada.

"You see, an informant of mine has just given us something very, _very_ valuable."

The crow stirred uneasily, some out of anxiety, some out of fear. A small smirk played across his face. Let them have their little rebellion then, it would weed out the traitors, something he didn't have the time to do himself.

His smile shattered like glass.

"If any of you have objections, then _please_, speak your mind." With a flick of his wrist, he gestured to the masses. "I'm all ears."

Three numerous moved to speak, and _six_ met their end, for Shaolin had already left her seat, and returned in an instant, Suzemabachi coated with blood.

"Anyone else?" He asked casually, but the point had been made very clear.

Obey or die.

--

After leaving the newly arrancarified Karin and Yuzu in the capable hands of Kukkaku and the other female arrancar, Ichigo headed straight for the bottle, literally. It wasn't that he drank on a regular basis, its just that this time, he needed to forget his troubles for awhile.

And the best way to do so was via drowning them in booze.

"Annuder." Ichigo demanded, slamming the shot glass down on the bar. "Damnit, I said gimme annuder!" His eyes had long since lost their focus, and now, spurred on by some of his fellows, the vizard tipped back his drink once more. Everything had started to become hazy, and he'd lost count after the fifth drink. But still, seeking to drown his sorrows, the young ryoka continued.

He wanted them _all_ back, not just _some_of them! It wasn't fair, it wasn't fair to everyone, Chad, Renji or Rukia that they had absolutely no say in their death's. And not to mention he had the lingering suspicion that Inoue was indeed alive and well somewhere out there in Hueco Muendo, but avoiding him. With a sorrowed glance, he patted both the hilts of Zabimaru and Shirayuki.

"Damn...

Grunting, he downed another shot, the firey liquid bursting down his throat, threatening to choke him.

"You're overdoing it." A stern voice, breaking through the fog of his alcohol induced inertia.

"Huh?" He turned, slightly tipsy by the sudden movement. "Whuzzat now?" The sight that met his eyes was that of the newly appointed primera.

Lillenette sighed, taking a seat next to him, next to her commanding officer. He eyed her with some discrepancy, a sentiment she returned entirely.

"You're a mess." She replied at last, downing her own shot of liquor, draining it in one gulp. The burning liquid rushed down her throat, working its way down, and she sighed, her posture becoming slightly more relaxed. "But then again, that's understandable, given the circumstances."

"You never miss a chance to sound profound."

"Meh." She shrugged, tossing back another shot glass, draining it in one gulp, then giving him a sly smile as the alcohol warmed her belly. Yeah, a few more shots like that and she'd _really_ be able to unwind after a long day of doing nothing but kicking ass and taking names. "Arrancar have no age, remember? I may look like this but remember-

"You're a _kid_." He countered, suddenly, in a rare moment of sobriety. "You shouldn't be talkin' like that, and," With a deft movement of his hand, he snatched the shot glass away from her. "You sure as hell shouldn't be drinking."

"Kid?!" She scowled up at him. "C'mon, you _know_ what I look like when I release! How does _that_ make me a little kid?!"

"Cuz it does." Ichigo replied with a glare. "Now gimme back my drink." Without warning, she swiped it away again.

"No." Lillenette pouted, yanking the shot glass away from him childishly and holding it close to her bosom. " If you're calling me a kid, then I don't wanna."

"Oi," Ichigo reached after her. "I'm not gonna say it again."

"You'll have to take it from me!" She teased, dancing away from him in a blur of sonido, and with a scowl he pursued her, outpacing her in a moment. Lillenette staggered back in surprise. She hadn't been expecting _him_ to use _sonido_, and now he had her, wrapping one arm around her waist and using the other to drive her into a dark corner, the glass falling from her fingers to spill over the rug.

"What did I tell you?"

"Um...never to piss you off?" She attempted with a sheepish grin, hoping this wouldn't turn into another one of his infamous, 'you'd better run or you're dead' sessions.

"Cute." He snarled, finding no pleasantries, no amusment in her words as he brought his face to hers, releasing the wall to tilt her chin up ever so slightly with his hand, a mere centimeter or so between them. "You never cease to amuse me, Lillenette Gingerback."

_'Oh shit, useage of the full name.' _Lillenette gave a small squeak of surprise, attempting to wriggle out of his grip. But it was a futile struggle now, and with but a grunt, he kept her against the wall. She'd expected, waited, for him to say something more, to reprimand her for her actions, but nothing came.

"Go. Get out." He muttered, sitting down on the mattress, waving at the door. "And do it before I change my mind." For a moment, she was tempted to do just that, but then her eyes began to wander.

For someone who planned to rule the world like a god, Ichigo's quarters weren't particularly lavish to that intent. Sure, there was a queen sized bed and one of those new fangled plasma screen Tv's on the far wall, but aside from that, a dresser, and some photo's, there wasn't much to be said about the room of the great Ichigo-sama.

He was a pretty plain guy when it came to luxuries.

"Y'know," She found herself striding over to him, and upon reaching the bed, flipped herself upon it, propping her head up on her hands, her legs absent mindedly swaying to and fro in the air. "For a guy, you sure have weirdass moodswings. Are all soul reapers like that?"

"Shaddap." He sighed, reaching down to tussle her hair, but he didn't shove her off the bed, as she'd expected him to. She grinned then, laughing softly to herself, an action that drew a small snicker from him.

"Cheer me up, huh?"

He cupped her cheek as he said this, amber eyes staring meaningfully into confused violet pink. "You're so naive, Lillenette." She blinked in surprise, but grinned all the same.

"Well, somebody's gotta do the job."

"M-M'lord!" An arrancar darted around the corner, skidded to a halt, bowed once, then fell to a knee in respect. "I have n-news!"

"Well then, speak." Ichigo beckoned, the grin falling from his face. Quietly, he released Lillenette, and turned his attention to the messenger before him. "What news do you have for me?"

"We have captured the two vasto lorde." The arrancar smiled at this, raising his head, and Ichigo noticed the thin gash at the man's forhead, thin, but seeping crimson. Clearly he had just been in some sort of fight, and had either won, or been beaten quite badly.

That, or he had been in the sortie that went to capture the two Vasto Lorde.

"You," Ichigo began eyeing him closely. "What is your name?"

"Musashi, sir." The man forced his head lower, as if in shame. "I am... arrancar fifty-five."

"Fifty Five, eh?" Ichigo smirked, an idea suddenly coming to him. He'd sent Ulquiorra out to find and retrieve the vasto lorde only a few hours ago, and by the looks of it, this Musashi fellow had beaten him back here. "That was quite a bit of speed you displayed back there. Tell me...have you ever thought of joining the _Exequias_?"

"Sir?" Musashi looked at him oddly, perplexed and confused. "I was under the assumption that the _Exequias _had been disbanded?" In reply, the vizard placed one hand upon the shoulder of his minion.

"I don't think you heard me, or rather, what I meant to say, " His tone had become slightly cold, not enough to sign the arrancar's death warrant, but enough to give him a serious warning, that is, to be silent and listen. "I'm asking you to found a new force of _Exequias_, and to lead them with my espada. Do you think you can do that for me?"

"S-Sir." Musashi rose and gave a sharp nod, barely able to hide his exuberant grin. "I'll get right on it!"

That being said, he shot off in a punch of sonido.

Lillenette, realizing Ichigo was, more or less, back to his old self, sighed, and vaulted herself off the bed.

"So...you want me to check out the vasto lorde?"

"No." He replied sharply, then, as if realizing his mistake, sighed, and leaned against the wall to finish the remainder of his sentence. "I want you to check on Karin and Yuzu. Make them as comfortable as possible, then bring them to me, do you understand?"

"Fine, fine," The primera grumbled, "I'll do it."

"And no bickering with Starrk." Ichigo continued.

"Got it." She was already past him strutting down the corridor.

"Oh, and...thanks." He added, almost as an afterthought, calling at her back.

"Sure." Lillenette smiled, then set off pay two girls a little visit.

**Next time: A reunion to remember. A battle to be fought.**


	27. The Bite

**_Well well, I haven't updated this in an age, have I? That being said, here you go! I have put a TON of fluff, angst, intrigue, and amusement into this chapter as possible, so expect more updates to pop up soon! Oh, and this chapter is called the BITE for a reason, as you intellectual types will soon see..._**

**The Bite**

"Hmm, was it this way? Or perhaps that way?"

"We just went that way."

"Did we? Then I'm certain it's _this _way."

Ishida Uryuu had never felt so disgusted in all of his life. And to think, this had all begun when he asked for directions to the throne room. Seeking to find his way around the palace _without _smashing through walls to get there, was proving to be quite an inconvenience. What frustrated him even further, was that someone had come up with the idea to rebuild Las Noches from the ground up, with seki seki rock. Though not enough to hinder walking on air, or other reiatsu based abilities, it was just enough to confound ones reaitsu sensing capabilities. It also made it very easy to run into someone you'd never expected to see again.

Now, as Ishida Uryuu followed his 'guide', he felt his face contort into a scowl for the hundreth time, and found himself cursing whoever had the sudden prescence of mind to refortify this place. The arrancar leading him through the corridors noticed this and slowed his pace until they were walking side by side.

"Well," said Szayel-Aporro, his large mouth splitting into a wicked grin. "Imagine this, the two of us walking and talking together as allies. In fact, I don't think I've ever spoken to you since fate conspired for us to part ways, Quincy-boy."

Ishida made no move to hasten his pace, but his tone conveyed the bite all too well.

"And why, would _I _want to speak with _you_?"

The pink-haired scientist tittered. "How pitiful is that you must retort with such a childish insult. If only someone of my intellect were as close to Lord Ichigo." He tittered again. "Then again, I'm only one spot away from being counted amongst his most valued allies. That particular fantasy may one day become a reality."

Again, Uryuu felt the overwhelming urge to plunge his Seele Schneider through the pinkette's throat. At times like these, he could only wonder what everyone else was doing. Surely they had to be better off than he was at the moment...

--

"She's here." Ulquiorra announced, his hand resting upon the slab of stone which blockaded the cave. Starrk arched an eyebrow but advanced nonetheless, bringing his palm to rest on the slab as well. It was white hot to the touch, and it was with a small wince that he kept his gloved hand upon the stone. He could feel an intense reaitsu radiating from within, and quite frankly, it worried didn't know what he had been expecting to find here, but he was almost certain that it wasn't this.

"!!"

Suddenly, Ulquiorra inhaled sharply and jerked back, as if he'd been _burned_. A look of intrigue flashed across the face of the former primera, as he observed the myriad of mixed emotions flaring across the face of his comrade. His teeth gnashed against each other, his eyes were wide, his hands at his side, clenched into fists, proclaiming anger, surprise, and elation, all at once. Such was the expression Ulquiorra Schiffer now wore.

"Something wrong?"

A surge of reaitsu was the answer.

"Move." Ulquiorra hissed suddenly, thrusting his index finger forward, teal light already gathering at the tip. Starrk swiftly twisted his visage to the right, the cero roaring harmlessly past his face, and into, then _through _the stone barricade, which now shattered like so much glass under the harsh duress of the doom blast. The ex-primera glanced at the gaping hole, then back at Ulquiorra.

"You wanna go first?"

Ulquiorra growled in a rare expression of anger, and stalked past Starrk. The espada watched him go with a yawn, then slowly walked after his compatriot, his stride suggesting none of the inner anxiety he too was experiencing. Of course, that was _before _the red cero roared through the opening he had occupied a moment before.

Reappearing with a sharp punch of sonido, Starrk stared into the smoke for a moment, his eyes sliding to the right as he lazily reached for what at first seemed like nothingness. Moments later, the slim arm of Chizuru Honshō appeared within his fist. Her eyes widened, but by then it was already far too late. With a swift chop to the neck, she slumped in his grip, succumbing to the throes of unconciousness.

With barely so much as an effort, Starrk slung thei slumbering woman over his shoulder. She was surprisingly light, though such a thing didn't, couldn't, possibly concern him in the slightest. It was then that he was alerted to the sudden explosion of reaitsu pouring outward from the cave. Then, as suddenly as it had come, it was gone.

Moments later, a fully released Ulquiorra emerged, with a restrained, but still struggling Orihime, in tow. He was missing a wing and one of his horns, but the two appendages were slowly regenerating along with his tail, even as he kept a firm grip around the thrashing girl. Starrk blinked slowly, trying to figure out just what he was looking at. Not only was she practically wrapped in a sheet, but her reaitsu, clearly that of an arrancar's, was impossibly high. Suddenly, it occurred to him just how Ulquiorra might've received those wounds, though the thought itself was just as ludicrous. She'd become this powerful without being exposed to the hogyoku?

Simply by removing her mask, she'd been able to contest Ulquiorra in his _segunda etapa _state? By all accounts such an event was unlikely, yet such an event had indeed occurred. If she were to be exposed to the Hogyoku...

Somewhat irked, Starrk shook himself from this train of thought and brought his melancholy gaze to bear upon Inoue.

"Hey, you might as well stop struggling. We don't intend to kill you. However, you and your friend here," He shifted Chizuru's body over his shoulder for emphasis, and though this had anything but a calming effect on Orihime, he steadfastly continued, "Have a meeting with our boss.""

Inoue only gasped and renewed her efforts to break free.

--

Grimmjow cursed his luck, and then himself as he sized up his silent opponent. He was losing?! Impossible! He was the king! The greatest! The strongest! And yet, his enemy was the very definition of impassive, remaining stoically silent, untouched despite the blue haired espada's best efforts to bring him down.

As his hand moved forward, only one thought filled the espada's mind.

How could he lose to a kid?!

"Call."

"A royal flush." Rolo declared with a small smile. "I do believe I win. Now, this was a penalty round, remember, Jaggerjack-san?"

Grimmjow glanced down at his own cards, back at Rolo, then back at his cards again.

"AAAAAAAAAAARGH!"

--

Kukaku paused, tilted her head, as she thought she'd just heard the sound of screaming. Odd. She hadn't even started setting off her fireworks yet, and there were already screaming fans? Talk about wierd.

"Did you hear something?"

"Hear what?" A particularly crisped Tatsuki groaned from across the room, picking her soot soaked self of the floor. "I still have that ringing in my ears."

"I guess that last one didn't pack enough of a punch. One more then!"

"But that was the third one!"

"One more, and I'll share Ichigo with you. Promise. Scouts honor."

"Share?! Who said anything about-

"Hey, do you have the hots for him or not?"

Tatsuki's spluttering blush was answer enough.

"Well?"

"D-Deal! I can handle one more!"

"Oh really?" Kukaku smiled deviously as she hefted another homemade explosive, this one twice the size of the last. "You might not survive this one."

"Huh?"

--

A dull rumble shook the floor.

_Probably another arrancar getting too big for his britches. Serves him right._

Ichigo ran a hand through his sand crusted hair, sighing as a bit of dried blood caked away from his irritated, he swept his fingers through the messy orange spikes once more, and yet again, produced dandruff made of old blood and sand. Letting his arm fall, the leader of the hollow army winced as the joints in his elbow and shoulder screamed in protestation.

How long had it been since he'd last taken a shower? How long had it been since he'd been able to sit down, close his eyes and sleep? The memory of his first night here, the first night he'd truly slept, was all but a distant memory now. He'd committed unspeakable crimes since then. He'd taken lives, ripped others apart. Killed.

He'd done all this and more, to protect the precious few that were so very near and dear to him. He would eradicate the obsolete Soul Society, create the oken, and storm into the King's Realm with his army. He would meet with the king, demand that things be changed. That the Central Forty-Six be disbanded. That the shinigami should decide as _a whole,_ what was best for everyone, not consolidate power in a select group of elites who didn't even understand the bonds between humans. He would demand that the King undo what all the damage that had been done, and then, and then...what?

It suddenly occured to him that the vaulted king of the Sereitei might _not _be so willing to comply with his demands. Oh well, he'd make him. And if he still refused to see reason, then Ichigo would cut him down and take his place as a new King, a leader who would never again make the mistakes of his predcesor. He wasn't going to kill everyone in the Sereitei, after all. He'd leave just enough of them, to rebuild. If Soul Society were to be obliterated, then the world would be overcome by hollow.

Ichigo certainly didn't want that. If the world was overrun by the ghouls, then innocent people, oblivious bystanders who had absolutely no way of knowing, or seeing the invisible dangers that existed, would perish. No, the existence of Soul Society would be crucial if he was to maintain order in the new world. He wouldn't interfere in their decisions down the road, he wouldn't need to. The arrancar would continue to exist, of course, as a constant reminder to what would happen to the shinigami should their pride ever prove to tip the scale again. For that purpose, the Hogyoku would be made into a gateway that bridged the two worlds, transforming hollow into arrancar, and only the King would be able to control it.

Never again would there be such cruelty in the world. There would be peace. There would be balance, prosperity, and equality for all. And though the human world would continue to move on throughout, causing its own demise with wars, famine, and disaster, the afterlife at least, would be a peaceful one. That was certain.

And Ichigo would be the one responsible for it all. He would keep control of his soul, and save the world. Maybe then, once all was said and done, he could finally have a semi-normal life. Give up his powers, settle down, find a wife, maybe even start a family. He blushed a bit at that train of thought. Plenty of options there at least...

Sensing that his mind was starting to wander, Ichigo shook himself of such thoughts, opening the door, stepping inside, flooding the room with crystal clear clarity as the motion sensors detected movement. For a moment, he was blinded by the light, so much so that he actually had to shield his face with an arm.

"Ichi-nii!"

Ichigo _leapt _across the room, before realizing that it was simply Yuzu, who'd just tackled him as hard as someone her size possibly could. A slow smile spread across his face when he saw that Karin had approached as well, though without tackling him. But of course, that didn't last long. Without even a thought, Ichigo reached out to her, and then, she too was in his arms. All thoughts of world peace and maintaining order fled the vizard's mind as he embraced his sisters.

Yuzu raised her head then, and Ichigo had to fight to avoid gasping once he saw her face. They'd been arrancarified of course, but he hadn't been able to fully process that prior to embracing them. Now, her sandy blond hair perfectly framed her face, obscured every so slightly by the helix shaped mask fragment that ran from her forehead to the back of her skull to form what appeared to be a halo.

"See?" She beamed, breaking away from him to perform a small twirl. "I look like an angel!"

"Yeah," Ichigo smiled and resisted the urge to cry at seeing his sister adjust so readily to a lifestyle that should have never been forced upon her. "Just like an angel."

"Hey, what about me?"

Karin's mask fragment was perhaps, even more unique. Begining at her left cheek and curving around the back of her head, was a flat plate of teeth that ended in a strange looking monocle which framed her eyes with a pair of circles, almost as if she were wearing white makeup over her already creamy skin.

Both, however, wore the traditional white hakama skirt pants afforded to most female arrancar, though their tops were another story. They looked as if someone had expertly taken a pair of scissors to the neck, providing a dipping V plunge over an already skimpy shirt that left little to the imagination, and stitched the sleeves tightly around the arms to create a pair of long, fingerless gloves. Secretly, Ichigo believed this to be Lillenette's doing, as their outfit's closely resembled that of the perky primera, albeit covering a great deal more skin.

Ichigo nearly guffawed when he saw the massive silver, double bladed axe, strapped to Karin's back. Like Zangetsu, the weapon had to be at least two, no three times her size, yet she moved about as if it weighed no more than a feather. Thankfully, Yuzu had a more conventional weapon, a small, silvery disk that was strapped to her back by a blue segmented chain, not unlike the one Ichigo used to keep Zangetsu bound to his back. They didn't seem at all concerned that they weren't human now.

"Lillenette told us all about these." Karin supplied, her smile becoming a small frown. "Actually, she told us everything. So don't worry about explaining."

"Ichi-nii, why didn't you tell us you were a shingami?" Yuzu looked up at him with her pleading amber eyes. "Was that why you kept disappearing all the time?"

"I...Ichigo scratched the back of his head, unsure of what to say. "Well, it was complicated."

"Lillenette made it sound real simple." Karin countered. "If she was able to tell us, they why couldn't you?"

"Karin, I-

"Didn't you trust us?" Karin was incredulous.

"Of course I did!"

"Then why didn't you tell us?" Yuzu pressed.

"Kurosaki." Thankfully, Ulquiorra's voice, and now, his sudden entrance in the room was enough to break the tension and turn it into confusion. Karin broke off what she had been about to say, and glared at the arrancar warily. Yuzu just stared, unsure of what to say or do. Ulquiorra glanced at the two for a moment, then away.

"We have recovered her." He whispered, low enough for only Ichigo to hear.

"Where?"

"In the west towe."

A silent thrill rushed through Ichigo's body, setting his very nerves afire. Emotions he wasn't even aware of suddenly swarmed down upon him, drowning all other thoughts except for why was he _here_, when he should be _there_.

"Sorry." He murmured, already swiftly turning the handle behind him. "Karin, Yuzu. I...have to go."

--

The sudden opening of a door wasn't noticed Inoue Orihime. She, sitting on the floor, her knees pulled into her chest, was far too immersed in the flood of memories that this room bathed her in to notice it. She found it oddly nostalgic, yet sad, that she'd been garbed in the exact same garb that she'd worn during her previous capture, and now, her second. This was the place where Loly and Menoly had tormented her, where Grimmjow had saved her, before dragging her off to heal Kurosaki-kun. This was the room that she'd slept in the night after they'd won.

Now, here she was again, thrown in here upon capture and ordered to dress herself, to consume the food that was laid out for her. She had done so, whereas once she would have desperately attempted to defy her captors. Indeed, Orihime Inoue had changed immeasurably. In her mind, her existence couldn't even be qualified as human anymore. Hollows were supposed to lose their hearts, but she'd kept hers, and therefore had no such hole to bear. That made her nothing less than an outcast amongst the arrancar Her Santen Kisshun still existed, though they were hidden by the minuscule hairpin like mask fragments that covered them like a second skin. At her feet, lay a sword, its white hiltwrap and azure blue sheathe left alone, to collect dust as she stared up into the light that shone through the bars of her window.

The room, however, bore little changes. A shower had been installed in the southernmost corner, obscured by a thick sheet of glass that served to obscure the view of anyone hoping to peek in. The door of course, was repaired, and still, moonlight shown down upon her in all its radiance. This time, she made no effort to hold back the tears that bridged into her eyes. The moon, she realized was beautiful. It..._never changed. _She had changed. Who would even look at her now? No one would.

He could never return her feelings. Not like this. He never would....

"Kurosaki-kun...." She sobbed to herself, alone, knowing that no one could hear her."I'm hideous...I'm...I'm nothing but a weakling, a b-burden...

"Don't you dare say that."

"N-Nani?"

No sooner had the words escaped her lips, then a strong pair of arms seized her from behind. Inoue scarcely had the time to cry out in surprise, so quickly was she dragged to her feet, then spun around with such force that her head threatened to spin off her very shoulders. It nearly did anyway, once she saw him._ It was him._

A worn, tired pair of eyes bored into her as the light spread over him. He wore a magnificent white mantle over his shihakusho, and he somehow had two more swords belted to his waist, but she knew right away it was him. Those eyes gave him away. Even so, even seeing him up close, Inoue felt her breath taken away. _Ichigo_.

Her heart stopped when he pulled her into his chest.

"K-Kurosaki-kun??" Was all she could manage through the strange haze that prevented her from speaking properly. "W-What're you...

"You're anything but useless in my eyes, Inoue." He murmurred this into the soft tresses of her hair, the words sending an _jolt _up her spine as he pulled her closer into his chest. The way he was holding her, pulling her into his chest, embracing her, never had such a typical human gesture felt so warm and comforting as it did now.

"I missed you." He muttered, pulling away before she could give into the urge to bury her head into his shihakusho. This was _nothing _compared to the way his hand now tenderly caressed her cheek, eliciting the fierce red blush that lit her cheeks crimson as he gently cupped her face. "I really missed you, Inoue."

This was...This was too good to be true!

Inoue suddenly realized that her back was against the wall.

She couldn't back away now, even if she wanted to. Not that she wanted to, by any means. Her gaze flickered downward as Ichigo released his grip on her shoulders, hands softly coming to rest in the curve of her hips. Why was her breathing so hot and heavy? Why so suddenly? Why didn't he just...why didn't...Kurosaki-kun...

He had her pinned now. Pressed up against him as she was, Inoue could scarecly even form a coherent thought, let alone speak. Everything, even time itself, seemed to drag on in slow motion. Yet her body felt so light, as if she'd just drift away once he let go of her. But Ichigo wasn't letting go of her. In fact, it was quite the opposite of what she expected. He kissed her, so suddenly, so softly, that it took her shattered mind a few moments to piece everything together.

Stars exploded before her vision, as if everything, every hardship she'd ever endured, had led up to this moment. She'd been waiting for this for so long, wandering in a barren desert, dying of thirst, that for an instant, she froze. But then Ichigo kissed her again, this time daring to move his lips over her own, eliciting a soft, frantic whimper in the process. With an elated sigh, Inoue Orihime stopped resisting and allowed herself to be guided toward the shower, to sink into endless bliss...

**_Omake_**

_Tatsuki:...I-chi-go...._

_Kukaku: ...Damn._

_Shaolin: ...N-No..._

_Grimmjow: Holy shit. Oi, Ulquiorra, did he just..._

_Ulquiorra: I'm quite surprised myself. I was beginning to think that he was gay._

_Shaolin: YOU KNEW THIS WAS GOING TO HAPPEN?!_

_Tatsuki: WHY THE HELL DIDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?! You _knew _they were gonna-_

_Ulquiorra: I had my own theories. But, sexual preferences are up to the writer. I have no power in such matters._

_Lillenette: Eh? _I _don't see what's wrong with it. I don't mind sharing him._

_EVERYONE: (Except Ulquiorra) EH?!_

_Inoue: (Walks in) Nani? What's wrong? Why is...everyone staring at me?_

**Next time: Lust.**


	28. Death of Lust I

**BEHOLD IT IS HERE!**

**Death of Lust I**

The first thing Inoue Orihime woke to was...cold.

She shivered and drew the blankets tighter about her body, wincing as the heat of soft cotton warmed. But that was impossible. Hueco Muendo was always hot, its temperatures in the low ninties at best. Another gust of cold air assailed her, insisting that she rise. It was time to get up.

Blinking, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, she sat up, drawing the sheets about her relfexively when she realized that her clothes were nowhere to be found. Closer inspection revealed that they were actually scattered about the floor as little more than rags. Why were they...

With a low roar the events of the past hour came racing back to her. They were blurred, indistinct, some with more clarity than others. By the time the scandalous flashback had faded, Inoue Orihime's face was redder than the scarlet silk sheets that curled about her body. Ichigo...her...they...

With a small squeak/sigh, Inoue placed one hand to her head, and fell back amongst the pillows. Wonderful. She felt so incredibly, joyously wonderful, that she could just lay here for hours and hours and still not feel anything but complete and utter bliss. That is...if she were dressed.

Inwardly, Inoue blanched. If not for the fresh white garments that hung from the foot of her bed, she would have been forced to don the tattered rags that lay scattered about what she had begun to consider as her room. She had just begun to weight the consequences of such a decision when she noticed the faint trace of reaitsu slithering toward her location. It was terribly familair, and at the same time, horribly powerful.

"GIIIIIIIIIIIII!"

And then the screaming started.

A sudden dread filled Inoue . At last, she realized that she was completely and utterly alone. Wherever he was, Ichigo _wasn't _here. And now, as the sounds of dismayed shrieking and screaming grew closer to her quarters, Orihime found herself swiftly sweeping her clothes on, in an effort to dress herself before the intruder, or could it be intruders, entered and discovered her naked. She'd just succeeded in frantically wriggling into her undergarments when, with an ominous creek, the door swung off its hinges and crashed to the floor at the foot of her bed. Much too loudly.

She couldn't make out the figure that stood in the doorway, their was a blinding lightly behind him that only darkened his figure and made those wide, pearly white teeth and blonde hair all but inescapable to her notice. Still, Inoue dared to hope against hope that it was her beloved.

"Ichigo?"

"'Fraid not." A familair voice drawled, as a grinning and bloodied Shinji Hirako waded into view. "Ya see, the bossman ain't around right now...so we're only gonna have one chance to pull this baby off." His zanpaktou gleamed brightly in the otherwise darkened room. "Sorry, Inoue."

And a katana struck through flesh.

_**zzzz**_

There was a slight hum as the portal opened, exposing a solitary figure to the elements of the frigid tundra. Ichigo clicked his tongue against the side of his cheek, creating a small popping sound as he stepped through the portal. Before him lay a cold, god forsaken wasteland, otherwise known as Alaska. This was the _Jirichi_, the place where they would create the king's seal. Now, one by one, countless garaganta snapped open.

"Brr." Ichimaru shivered, his smile fading for once as a particularly cold blast of air hit him upon his entry. "Kinda cold, ain't it?"

Tousen scowled, but otherwise remained silent.

"At last...we're here." Ichigo sighed as many garaganta opened behind him, and the Espada stepped through. He _did _want to bring his full force to the fray, but he feared in doing so, he'd leave Las Noches, and his friends, unprotected. So here they were. "It's been about a month, hasn't it?"

Now, Tousen deigned to speak.

"It has, Ichigo-sama."

So he'd brought his best, and left a few elites to guard home. Eva, Ying and Yang, Halibel, Agro, Ulquiorra, Apache, Mila-Rose, and Sun-Sun- followed lastly by Lillenette, Shaolin, and Stark, we're the main force, with the others remaining behind, just in case the Seireitei decided to launch an invasion.

A pleasant smirk touched his lips. Including Kaname, Gin, and himself, they outnumbered Soul Society by at least _two_.

Things should turn out quite nicely.

"Remind me why we didn't bring something warm to wear?" The chattering of teeth drew his gaze westward. Poor Lillenette, she was freezing, and why not, after all, even _Halibel _had more clothes than she did right now. But Ichigo, refusing to be deterred from his elated mood, shrugged off his own thick jacket, and gave it to her in an instant. The petite primera blinked up at him, surprised, but gladly took his offering regardless.

"You'll catch cold." He replied quietly, tussling her hair kindly before looking back to Gin and Kaname.

"Getting favor's from the boss, huh?" Starrk scratched the back of his head lazily, and Lillenette swore at him, her teeth visibly chattering in the frigid cold.

"U-ru-sai!"

"Now now," Ichigo scratched the back of his head in some small amusement at how easily Starrk could get under Lillenette's skin. "Can't you two get along just this once?" In wake of his accidental return, some of the rankings _had_ been switched around, but these two still retained their antics somehow.

"Oh?" Eva was the next to appear, her hair tossing in the wind. Like Halibel, she remained unfazed by the frigid temperature. How she was doing such a thing remained beyond anyone's guess. "I don't feel cold at all."

"Cold hearted is more like it." Ichigo muttered, and the other espada. Stepping forward, his boots crunched on the icepack, leaving small indentations behind him.

"Ichigo, are they here?" He smiled at Shaolin's prescence. Espada or no, she still followed him around wherever he went. She was his right hand in the espada, enforcing his will and orders where he could not.

"Oh, they're here alright." He replied to her. "They're waiting for us, cant'cha tell?"

The espada followed behind, and slowed when he, Tousen, and Ichimaru slowed to a halt at the face of the ice encrusted cliff.

_There they were._

A pitiful force indeed, Ichigo mused, smirking at how empty their ranks were. What had once been a mighty fighting force for the side of good, was now a mere shadow of its former glory. Apparently Aizen and co. had already been replaced, but still, he'd taken two captains away from them, one to serve him, and another to die. Not to mention two lieutenants and a fifth seat. Still, that did not make the enemy force any less deadly.

He frowned slightly when he saw that Urahara Kisuke and Yoruichi Shihoin were amongst the captains, albeit they didn't have wear the traditional captain's haori or shihakusho. Tessai was there as well, he noted, and at this Ichigo scowled. Two more 'friends' that he had thought to trust, now enemies against the divine justice he was so eager to bring about. Inhaling sharply, the ex-shinigami uttered a single word:

"Everyone."

Apache smirked, her _Cierva _a tangible blur about her wrist. "Oi, I call dibs on cowtits over there." Mila-Rose and Sun-Sun smirked as well, their target already found in Matsumoto Rangiku. Ulquiorra stared down at Unohanna Retsu, making it clear that _they _would be fighting one another.

After a percursory glance at the battlefield, Nel sighed, and slowly turned her gaze to Kira Izuru. The blonde winced marginally as she padded across the air toward him, his hand tightening around the olive green hilt of Wabisuke.

"Well, if we must do this captain, I would suggest that you release your bankai first...

Halibel had already unsheathed her Tiburon by now, as had Eva, and surely Toshirou seemed to realize that both these espada had their sights set on beheading him. Starrk and Lillenette had their sights fixated upon Kyoraku and Ukitake. One by one, the espada and their fraccion found their quarry, filling the air with tension and restrained reiatsu. As the seconds ground onward, each espada, each arrancar, claimed their target.

A small smile pulled at Ichigo's lips as the rest of his army confirmed their readiness.

It was time to begin.

"Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai." Ichigo stepped into full view before this 'grand force' , a cruel smirk forming on his lips at the sight of the seemingly feeble old man, the last true obstacle to _his_, _their _cause. "It's such a _shame _we meet as enemies now, isn't it?"

The aging commander made no reply, though his hunched shoulders did droop slightly.

"Got something to say?" Ichigo's tone made it clear that he didn't want to hear it, whatever it was that the sou-taichou had to say. At length, Yamamoto seemed to pull himself together, and when the two enemy general's glared toward one another again, his voice was firm.

"Kurosaki Ichigo, I had hoped to avoid this situation, and I still wish for a peaceful conclusion to this matter. Surrender now and we will-

"You'll what?" Ichigo's beligerent snort wiped away whatever the head captain had been about to say. "Take me in quietly? Give me a _fair _trial before my peers? Don't make me laugh, you senile old coot! I know damn well what your idea of fair is, so spare me the fuckin' speeches!"

"Ichigo Kurosaki," Unohanna Retsu was the next to speak, her calm features darkening into a fierce scowl, "Truly, we understand your position and motives here, but if you continue to provoke us, we _will _defend ourselves, and our actions will go beyond a mere _'You're under arrest'."_

A few snickers ran through the ranks of the less reserved arrancar.

"My my," Ichigo snickered quietly from where he stood, approaching the captains with a arrogant swagger in his stride, and a grin upon the features of his face. "Isn't this quite the show? Captains Jushirou Ukitake, Shunsui Kyoraku, _and _Unohanna Retsu? All of you came here just to kill _me_?" Placing one hand to his face, slightly covering his left eye, a small, amused chuckle followed. "I must say, I'm positively _flattered_."

"You've nowhere to go, Kurosaki." Shunsui's playful smile was nowhere to be seen now, and then again, neither was his ever present lieutenant, Nanao Ise. With a slow, deliberate movement, he drew his zanpaktou, as did Unohanna. "Give it up and just-

"Surrender?" Ichigo interrupted with a sigh, straightening himself up, puffing his chest out slightly. "And why, should I be doing that?" The lieutenants' stiffened slightly, but Ichigo made no move to come at them, as he was still speaking to the captain. "I'm one battle away from achieving my goal, and burning your precious little world to the ground. So why, oh why, should I surrender?"

"Well," Shunsui continued, his thin smile tightening slightly, "I see that your little friend isn't here."

"I could say the same to you, _Captain_," Ichigo quipped back, causing the grin to fall from Shunsui's face at the remembrance of Nanao. "But no, Inoue and Tasukei are both safe within the halls of Las Noches.. So it's just _me_ you have to worry about today."

"Is that so?" Shunsui replied, all playfulness now gone from his voice, replaced with uncharacteristic venom. "Then that also means she can't use that technique of hers to bring you back to life in case you should die_?_"

"Nope." Ichigo replied, crossing his arms.

"Wonderful."

Ichigo didn't even _try _to dodge, he simply raised a hand, as if he were greeting an old friend. Katen Kyoukotsu rang through the air, meant to slam into his left wrist and forearm, but were met by Gin's Shinso, the thin wazikashi steadfastly intercepting the blow before it could find its target. The instant Kyoraku realized that he'd been intercepted, _that _was the exact moment when the vizard smiled.

"Gin, if you wouldn't mind?"

"A' course." the latter now thrust his wazikashi forward.

"Shoot to kill, _Shinsou._"

The _wakizashi _stretched dramatically, the blade that was but two feet long a moment ago lengthening itself to stab at Kyoraku even as he violently propelled himself backward. The spear-like zanpakuto shot forth at lightning-quick speed, the captain barely managing to dodge the attack. Shunsui leapt to the right and rolled behind the cover of some debris as the long blade retracted back towards its spiraled hilt.

In just an instant, everything had changed. The shinigami were in the process of drawing their swords, but the arrancar had no such need, they'd come here, weapons drawn and at the ready, with no need to sacrifice those crucial seconds needed to prepare themselves. Their enemy was already prepared. They were not.

"FUCK YES!" Grimmjow cackled, slamming into the nearest shinigami with a wild grin. His opponent didn't even have the time to cry out, Grimmjow had already sliced through the nameless soldier, and moved on to the next one with a delighted howl.

As such, the captains found themselves caught completely flatfooted when Ichigo smiled and uttered but two words:

_"Everyone...attack."_

Faster than the eye could comprehend, Gin appeared to Kyoraku's right, Shinsou extending just enough to put him within striking range. Ichigo watched this with an air of detachment, only whirling around when he heard the faint whisper of shunpo. Unohanna's zanpaktou had already crossed the foot or so seperating them, forcing the vizard to bring his arm and blade, around his back, just to deflect the haphazard swipe.

"Nrgh!"

He'd known what to expect once he'd found himself surrounded. He was warring against three captains', possibly the strongest taichou in all of the Gotei Thirteen, excluding old man Yamamoto.

But he _hadn't_ been expecting such _power_, not from someone like Unohanna Retsu. It was if a tsunami had hit, and he'd been on ground zero. Shirayuki stood no chance, immediately, the sword was forced back, knicking his forhead just before Retsu would've separated his head from his shoulders. Sweat beaded from his brow as he dropped to one knee, and, Ichigo uttered but one word.

_"Bankai."_

As he'd expected her to, Unohanna violently proppelled herself backwards at his sudden release. When the smoke had finally fallen, Ichigo stood before everyone, a menacing sight as always. Tensa Zangetsu glinted angrily in the snowy sky, its tip hungry for blood. Ichigo scowled, and made a gesture to Ulquiorra, who had remained in place even as his fellow arrancar rushed forward to the massive battle that now blazed around them.

"Say, Ulquiorra. How long do you think it would take you to kill her?"

The espada blinked, slowly.

"Approximately five minutes. Shall I take over for you?"

Ichigo sighed, as if he were considering it.

"Hmm...dunno. Personally, I'd like to go toe to toe with Genryusai but-

Unohana's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, as a glint flickered to life in her eyes, if only for a second."To underestimate us...would be unwise." That second however, was enough for Ichigo to shrink back, and although he would not admit it, he was slightly… Intimidated by the normally gentle healer. Ulquiorra, however, remained steadfast, his juniper green gaze filled with apathy as he raised a single digit.

"Cero."

Rolling away from the blast, Ichigo allowed Ulquiorra his target, and fell back into the snow, the ensuing of white cloud providing him with some measure of cover. That is, until a massive blade slammed into his back and sending the vizard tumbling into the air.

"Say, captain," Ichigo began rather quietly even as Kyoraku's arm began to tremble from the strain, "I haven't seen your lieutenant in quite some time. What happened to her again?"

Shunsui's only response was to fling a wall of wind straight at the amused ryoka.

"Bunsho Koma!"

The slice of wind rushed past, tossing Ichigo bodily into the air. Ignoring the thin slice in his chest, the vizard flipped belly up, digging his katana into the soil to slow the drag effect. Apparently, the taunt had stung, and he intended to make good use of it.

"Now, howl!" With a flash of red, Zabimaru now performed it _shikai_, its many deadly spikes glinting an iridescent red in the faint light of the glaringly bright afternoon sun. "Zabimaru!"

Kyoraku braced himself as the serpentine blade arced towards him, its segments elongating to extend its reach. But before the violent blade could draw blood, a hand snagged one of its many spikes, halting it. Ichigo tsked, his brow furrowing slightly as Zabimaru retracted.

"Wait, Kyoraku." Of all the captains, _Ukitake _still refused to draw his sword, and it was he who had restrained Shunsui. Perhaps he felt guilty in having pushed the boy this far, perhaps it was some small sentiment of understanding for Rukia's death, who knew?

Apparently, he still thought he could reason with the madman, even when said vizard had just threatened to kill Kiyone and Sentaro a moment ago. "Kurosaki, there's nothing left for you to do here. Just turn yourself in, and-

"Really?" He took a small step back,his words now directed at Kyoraku, even as his right foot fell into open air. "You say that there's _nowhere_ for me to go? Nothing for me to do?"

Too late, the captains' realized what he was planning.

"Ja ne." Ichigo grinned, leaping backwards. He hung there for a moment, flipping his adversaries off, and raising Zabimaru. With a sharp crack, he reached to his face, and with a shattering growl, drew his second mask. At once his reaitsu, burgeoned by hollow power, slammed into them.

"Impossible." Ukitake breathed.

"Nothing is impossible." Ichigo laughed softly as a streak of blue and white shot past him. By some skill, or perhaps blind luck, Jushirrou spun to the left, _Sogyo no Kotowari_ sparking as it ground against the slim form of Grimmjow's Pantera. With a wild grin, the esapda slapped a palm forward.

"Eath this, shinigami!" Grimmjow wore a shit eating grin all his own as the blood pooled from his palm and into the now wildly fluctuating orb that danced at the very tips of his fingers. Too clost to dodge, Ukitake feebly raised his zanpaktou in an attempt to absorb the attack. It was then that Grimmjow abruptly slammed his cero into the _snow_, the shockwave of which threw both

Kyoraku glanced back with a disbelieving stare, regarding the receding speck of white that was his friend and the laughing grey blue bolt that was the espada, with more than a little regret and remorse. Before long, they too, were lost in the eternal white that was the glacial wasteland.

"That's right," The vizard grinned, as all eyes fell upon his new form. "You may have anticipated my attacks so far, but you have no idea what I am capable of now... and what you don't know... could hurt you."

The zanpaktou slammed into his shoulder, its serated edges shredding through bone and sinew as if they were paper. Ichigo continued his assault, forcing Kyoraku closer and closer to the cliff. Occupied with an espada each as she was, Unohanna screamed Shunsui's name, but she too was helpless, unable to aid her friend as Ichigo summarily conquered him.

"I see," he said, leaving his back turned as he prepared his finisher. "So you still think that you can-

Shunsui choked in surprise as his right arm was severed from his body, the limb now falling away from him in a flash. The fingers were wriggling slightly as the nerve endings within them struggled to receive signal from his brain once more, dropping the sword that they once held as his hand groped on blindly. He lunged forward, his left arm stretched out in an attempt to grab and wield the fallen blade.

But Ichigo was _there_, and Shunsui came no further, as the vizard planted one sandal in his back, and with the other, launched himself forward. Realizing too late what his adversary planned, Kyoraku _smiled _, and Ichigo frowned, sensing something amiss as their shadow's lengthened.

"What-

Eyes narrowing, he rolled, escaping what would have been a death blow. Shunsui smiled in satisfaction, and Ichigo lurched back, his arm screaming in pain. Yet it was a shallow wound, the entirety of his right arm turning a pale, pallid...

"Irooni."

_'Grey? Its that technique of his!'_

"Oh?" Ichigo snarled, and Kyoraku started in surprise as the vizard pulled at his white sash, discarding the thick white hakama he had worn, and revealing his black shihakusho outfit beneath it. "That color game again, eh? So you're resorting to childish tricks in order to stop me."

"Shit!" Kyoraku swore, but it was too late, much too late. Ichigo's hand clamped down upon Kyorkau's shoulder from behind, pinning the startled captain in place. "That's right." Ichigo smiled. "_Starrk_ told me all about it. Depending on the color, more damage can be done. So how about...

"_Black."_ He declared angrily, stabbing forward.

Blood splattered everywhere.


	29. Death of Lust II

**BEHOLD IT IS HERE! Please enjoy and review, I put everything I had into this chapter, not to mention a sleepless night after working all day! That being said, please enjoy review, and feel free to pester me for answers to the questions this chapter will undoubtedly leave you dying to know. No pun intended there XD**

**Enjoy!**

**Death of Lust II**

_Las Noches was burning._

Smoke spewed from every window, the roar of flames mingling with those harsh, war weary sounds of conflict as battles between shinigami and arrancar began. The screams of the wounded and triumphant, the dull thump of sonido and the soft swish of shunpo. These and more, they filled the air, weaving together an eerie melody of carnage and chaos that called hollow from miles around to stare at the white funeral pyre.

Cages were flung open. Prisoners of war and convenience were set free, and in turn, set upon one another. Gates and walls crumbled, shattered, ripped apart from their very bolts and hinges by the haphazard shots of kido magic and cero blasts. And still, the battle raged as the wall of white warrior that were the arrancar stood strong against the raging sea of black bodies that were the soul reapers. The sea broke upon the wall.

The wall of white stood firm and as one, the host of arrancar drew their blades.

"For Lord Ichigo!"

Battle was joined.

Upon the apex of the towers, a bony, skeletal figure stood, watching the fighting through his sole remaining eye, for the other was swollen shut by an aged scar. His hunched back was lined with disfigurings marks, and the flesh hung limp and loose from his withered old bones. He sighed.

In both hands, he brandished a mighty axe.

"So," His voice, once an ancient and powerful rumble, had been reduced to a mere whisper by the sands of time. "I am called back, delivered from my eternity of death, to intervene in this petty squabble, am I? Pitiful ants, they do not know that their king stands before them, and yet..."

Anger pulled his skeletal features, the limp flesh of his face, into an imperious scowl.

...they refuse to bow."

At the peak of Las Noches, as far from the fighting as one could hope to be, the withered husk that had once been the segunda espada Barragan Luisenbarn...

Smiled.

_**zzz**_

"It's complicated. Look just close your eyes and it won't even hurt I promise,"The rest of Kensei's sentence faded into incoherent gibberish as Yuzu watched the ex-captain slowly draw what looked like a long combat knife from the right pocket of his cargo pants. A knife. _A knife._

He was holding his zanpakutou loose, casually unconcerned, the tips of his fingers curling and uncurling on the hilt. With a growing sense of dread, Yuzu watched his hand clench and unclench, and felt as if it were _her _heart that was slowly being crushed in that ever tightening fist.

He was going to kill them.

They were going to die.

_Again._

She didn't want to die! There were so many things that she still wanted to do! She wanted to turn sixteen and make lots of friends in high school! She wanted to get her driver's liscence and buy her own car! She wanted to get married and raise a family! She...She...

_'No...No no nonononono NOOOO!'_

_Click._

And just like that, a calm, cool sensation settled over the shoulders of the little arrancar. With new eyes, she took in anything, everything. The layout of the room, her zanpaktou lying on the bed three feet away, the enemy's position, stance, anything that could be used to her advantage.

Beside her, Karin continued to tremble. Whether it was out of anger or fear, who knew? Immediately, Yuzu ruled out her sister's interference in this situation. Her mind was flooded with the cold logic, the realization that it was up to her to prevent this man from mudering them.

No time to reach for her weapon. She'd seen the speed with which the vizard moved, even without the power of his mask. No, by the time she made it to the bed, there'd be a gaping hole in her neck. But Kensei wasn't expecting a fight. And why should he? Overconfidence. Weakness.

A weakness.

Weaknesses could be exploited.

If there was ever going to be an opening...

With an enraged _shriek_, Yuzu Kurosaki swung her arm back and punched Kensei as hard as she could in the face. Bone crunched under her _hierro _knuckles. The blow sent the unaware vizard sprawling. He skidded backward on the floor, through the door, _Tachikaze _flying from his grip.

Yuzu caught it up as she darted forward, and a second later she was standing over Kensei, knife in hand, prepared to slit his throat. Kensei's nose was bleeding, the blood a scarlet streak across his tan face. He spat out a bloody gob and stared up at Yuzu calmly.

"Well, are you going to kill me now, or not?"

Taken aback by this sudden nonchalance, Yuzu _froze, _the world coming back to her in a vicious slews of greys. What was she doing? She was about to take the life of a very nasty person, and she shouldn't hesitate, but still was it really right to kill someone in cold blood like this? Was it-

And Kensei erupted off the ground, faster than the eye could follow. One moment he was down on the ground, the next, a solidified fist of reaitsu slammed into Yuzu's cheek and their positions were reversed. The scowling vizard grunted and reclaimed his now airborne blade, before whipping an unarmed hand around to smash into the gut of an enraged Karin Kurosaki. Doubling over, she never even saw the blade enter her stomach.

"Karin!"

Kensei tsked and pointed a single finger towards Yuzu.

"Hainawa."

Kensei's expression held no remorse as he drew away his mask with one hand, charged a cero in the other, and planted one boot into Karin's back, all with an all too obvious intent. Yuzu whimpered from where she lay, unable to force her body to more than a crawl of movement.

"No...stop! Why...Why are you doing this?"

"Sorry girl. But I don't go easy on kids."

Someone made a growling, snarling sound in the back of their throat. Seconds later, Yuzu let out a small squeak as Kensei flew across the room, smashing into, then through the interior wall. Both of which were only a centimeter or so from her current position. Karin choked out a breath:

"W-What the hell was that?"

_"What the hell was that?"_A rough voice interjected sulkily from amidst the rubble. "That's all you have to say? That's all the thanks I get for saving your butt? Talk about unappreciative. Kami, I can't believe you're Ichigo's sister, you little punk. Show some respect!"

Kukaku Shiba stepped through the remnants of the archway, and took another long pull of her cigarette before glancing toward Yuzu. She smiled, the warm display of maternal affection wiping away the fierce scowl in an instant. Dropping to one knee, she scooped Karin and Yuzu up, as if they weighed next to nothing. She glanced at the two of them for a moment longer, then quietly set them down, kneeling to their level to speak.

"Kukaku-san?" Yuzu blearily blinked up at the sole surviving Shiba clan member as her bonds were undone, then shook the blood back into her arms and legs while Kukaku assesed Karin's wound, which turned out to be non-fatal. "What are you...doing here?"

"What am I doing here?" Having helped Karin to her feet, Kukaku now grinned and ruffled her hair."What's it look like? We're practically family now, kiddies." Her voice seemed to catch as she drew the two Kurosaki girls into a warm embrace. "And I protect my own."

"BITCH!"

Kukaku shoved herself back, whipped around, catching the stream of crimson in her palm with almost contemptous ease. Grinning, she cupped the crimson orb in hand, chuckling as it desperately drilled into the supple skin of her fingers, and ground to a halt when her hand closed into a fist around it. Slowly, she placed her left hand atop her right, covering the cero entirely, heedless of the black smoke that churned through her fingers.

Kensei gaped.

"Huh." Her tone was deadly as she raised the improvised firework. "So this is the great and powerful _cero _that you vizard are so proud of? It's nothing special, really." Tsking, she rose to her feet. "However, what would you think if I combined that hollow energy...with shinigami kido?"

"You wouldn't." Kensei snorted beligerently. "Unless you wanna blow your own arms off. In that case, be my fucking guest-

"Soren Soukatsui." Uttering a high level hado spell for the first time in nearly a century, Kukaku Shiba winced slightly as she felt the demon magic drain her reaitsu reserves by almost half. At once, the red pinprick of a cero swelled within her hands, transforming into a sparking orb of violet.

"What?"

As Kensei took a small step backward in outright awe, Kukaku grinned held her hand out, and released her grip upon the miniature nuke. For a moment, it hung there in the air, gathering speed and momentum as well as mass. Within seconds, it was triple the size of an ordinary cero.

Not a good thing for the recipient of such a blast.

"Now...BURN!"

Mugurama didn't have time to react – the attack came from too short a distance. The violet beam slammed against his chest and sent him spiraling backwards into and _through _the eastern wall of the piazza. His vision was dizzying slightly as he stopped moving and the heat of the _cero _dissipated from his body, but he was able to see the smoke filled blue sky above him as he struggled to get up.

With a soft whisper of shunpo, Kukaku was suddenly directly above him, her left arm outstretched and her palm splayed wide.

**"Hadō #63. ****Raikōhō."**

A massive wave of _light _erupted from Kukaku's hand and rained downwards at Kensei. He scrambled to get up and run, but he knew he wasn't going to make it. The wall of gold was quickly descending upon him – he could feel its heat on his retreating back. He turned and crossed both of arms over his body in an attempt to guard himself from the blast, his eyes closing as the inferno charged closer.

The explosion came, and there was pain, burning, excruciating pain as his body was lost in the deluge of golden fire. Frustration gave way to anger, and anger to rage as he watched Kukaku begin the incantation for a follow-up blast. As his flesh began to peel away...Tachikaze blazed.

"Daaaamn...IT! Bankai!"

Badly burnt, but still very much alive, Kensei smothered the flames with one swift burst of his own reaitsu. Kukaku promptly lowered her hand, eyes widening at the inexplicable

The former captain now sported a pair of large knuckle blades held in each hand. Both blades had a curved silver edge, tapering off to an outward point on either side. A single segmented band wrapped around his hands and arms, much like armor, and extended up into an arch behind him.

"Bitch." Kensei spat through the cracked, chipped remnants of his mask. "That was a dirty trick."

"Damn." Kukaku sighed, a small gust of flames darting past her lips when next she spoke. "I really have to do this shit, don't I?" With a small pop of smoke, her zanpaktou came free of its sheathe and popped into her hand, which spit red and orange sparks upon contact.

Kensei bolted forward.

"Run." Kukaku muttered, under her breath, giving the girls a quick shove, then whirling around to catch Kensei's wrist in hand, the floor cratering beneath them, the pressure of which all but launched a screaming Karin and Yuzu down the hallway, and to safety. Briefly, a sly smirk worked its way around the edges of Kukaku's scowl. Then she sneered, a proud, arrogant sneer that only nobility ever knew. It was an act of resignation.

_'Sorry Ichigo. Looks like I won't be able to share that drink with you after all.'_

With one monumental flare of spiritual pressure, Kukaku's zanpaktou exploded into a swirling shower of flames. Gritting her teeth, and dredging up every last ounce of reaitsu she had, Kukaku Shiba uttered one, defiant word to spite her enemy:

_"Bankai."_

_**zzz**_

"Kukaku-san!"

"Damnit Yuzu! We have to go!"

"But-

"Now!"

"But Kukaku-san is, she could be-

Yuzu never had a chance to finish her sentence, as beam of white hot pink slammed into the ground, engulfing the floor and bringing everything crumbling down around them. Someone shouted, and, less than a heartbeat later, an arrancar tackled Karin and Yuzu to the ground. The impact sent the three of them crashing into the next room, just in time.

"Down!" The arrancar hollered, but it was already too late. With a dull roar, the floor caved way beneath them leaving Karin and Yuzu plummeting to their doom...Or rather, they would have, had not the arrancar shot down through the opening after them, and gathered the two in his arms.

As the tile floor rushed up to greet them, the arrancar _swerved _at the last second, placing itself between the girls and what would have almost certainly been a splattering upon the walls. There was a sickening crunch and a sharp intake of breath from the arrancar as something other than the floor broke beneath the three of them. Massive chunks of rubble and debris slammed down around them seconds later, burying them alive.

For a moment, there was only silence from the mountain of rubble.

But only for a moment.

Abruptly, with a desperate last gasp of strength, a white, gloved hand exploded from the apex of the ruined debris. A determined growl worked its way up from the debths, and with a shudder, the rubble began to _glow_, shafts of white hot light bursting through the stone and mortar, tearing through the proud foundations as if they were little more than wet paper. At last, they were free, as Karin and Yuzu dared to open their eyes.

No longer were they buried.

The arrancar loomed over them, his hands pressed flat against each of their own. His breath came in labored gasps, and sweat beaded down

"Get off of us!" Karin all but shrieked, lashing out _low _with both feet, in hopes of doing some damage. Their rescuer wheezed once in reply, then rolled onto his back and began to groan in all too obvious pain, his feminine voice giving him away despite his now soot colored hair and hakama.

"My *cough* word, was that really *cough* neccesary?"

"Nani?" Yuzu blinked, recognizing the slim arrancar at once for who he truly was. "Szayel Aporro-san?"

"Yes, tis I, the one and only-oh dear." The scientest gasped aloud, wincing and groaning as he was pulled into a sitting position. "I appear to have broken a rib during our little fall. This will," And here he winced again, doubling over as a spurt of blood leaked from his mouth. "Take quite some time to heal."

The pinkette straightened himself up, adjusted his spectacles and performed a low bow, albeit with a small wince.

"We arrancar are, myself included, always at your service, m'lady."

But no sooner had the espada straightened up, then a looming shadow cast its eerie pall over him. Seconds later, its owner landed silently behind the as-of yet still unaware scientist and rammed what looked like a long katana into the hollow's throat. Time seemed to slow, as Szayel Aporro realized that something was very, very wrong. By then, the vizard's voice was little more than a vicious, triumphant snarl:

_"Too slow, arrancar."_

With an explosive gasp from both Karin and Yuzu, Szayel _dissapeared_, leaving the blade to strike out at a papery afterimage, while the genuine article reappeared several feet to the right, a smug smile of his own twisting at what had once been a pained grimace moments before.

"Too slow, _shinigami_." With a clucking chuckle, Szayel smoothly began to curl a hand around his zanpaktou, and to his credit his visage only displayed the faintest vestige of strain and exhaustion. "Or did you truly think I would lower my guard in the prescence of children such as these?"

"Tch." Love Aikwara flicked away the mask with a sweep of his fingers, revealing a small smile lurking beneath his sunglasses and the white porcelain. "I guess not, but hey, it was worth a try, don't you think?"

"And so you have tried." With a sharp thump of _sonido_, the espada placed himself directly between the ex-captain and Ichigo's sisters, the gentlest of smiles adorning his face as Fornicaras escaped its sheathe flawlessly. "And now, it is mine turn to try a little trick of my own."

In a slow, drawn out movement, Szayel raised his zanpakutou high. A smooth twitch of the hand pointed its tip toward his now open mouth. A swift flick of Szayel's wrist plunged the katana down his own gullet. In an explosion of violet reaitsu that consumed his entire body, he was lost.

_"Sip, Fornicaras."_

Instead of another implosion of reaitsu, there was...

Nothing.

Standing amidst the steam, an unchanged Szayel Aporro Granz stared at his zanpakuto in absolute shock. Though the tip was soaked in gore, he remained entirely the same, blooding well from his lips as a result of the self impalement."What...what is the meaning of this?"

"Too bad." Love's smile had dissapeared, replaced by a stern frown. "You see, when we planned this shindig, we were just a little worried about having to deal with so many of you and your buddies releasing on us. You know, strength,numbers and all that technical bunk. So," Reaching into a pocket, the vizard withdrew a small, hexagonal device that seemed to pulse in his very hand. "We had Kisuke whip up this baby for us."

Abashed, the scientest could only hang his head.

"Blast it. A reaitsu suppression device. I should have known."

"Bingo." Love smiled a half smile. "Specifically tuned to negate all forms of pure hollow reiatsu. Including yours, arrancar."

"Is it fragile

_Twang._

With a sudden rush of wind, two of three things happened. First, A small slit appeared in Love's right cheek and began to bleed profusely. Second, and behind him, a massive explosion signaled the impact of some unknown force. Now, as the vizard turned toward the source of this unknown threat, the device in his hand shattered, spraying shrapnel in every direction as everyone looked on in silent, mystified, awe.

"What in Kami's name-

"Swearing will not make this situation better, that I am sure." Replied a voice, its owner holding an empty sheathe in one hand. He was a slim fellow with long red hair tied back in a ponytail, and a very serene face, now set in a grim line, twisting the X like scar on his right cheek slightly.

"K-Kenshin-kun!" Yuzu gave a small squeak of disbelief as the fifty-first arrancar quietly walked past her, _past _Karin, _past _Szayel, into the room, and retrieved his weapon from the far wall. Returning the katana to its sheathe, the former man slayer and dedicated bodyguard spoke quietly:

"I would ask that you leave, Aikawa Love, as I have no desire to fight with you."

"Yeah, about that?" Love didn't so much as blink, if anything, it looked as if he were about to laugh. "You haven't changed anything, you know that right? That device was only one of the 'toys' Kisuke made. Beyond this room you won't be able to do much and you know it...arrancar."

Kenshin calmly raised his blade as Loved reached to his face.

"It seems we cannot avoid a fight then."

"'Fraid not."

"I see." Kenshin closed his eyes, exhaled softly and raised the sheathed katana up a sad look adorning his face as it was drawn. For a moment, just a moment, its reverse blade glinted softly in the orange glow of the perpetual fire that continued to consume Las Noches. "Then I am afraid that I will be forced to end this battle before it begins, that I will."

Love lifted his sword again and tilted his glasses down from the bridge of his nose so that he could clearly see over them.

_"Crush down, Tengumaru."_

He spun the now massive _kanabou _over his head lazily, halting the twirl to let it rest on his shoulder effortlessly. He calmly reached a hand up to cover his face, the white bone molding upon his visage as he slid his fingers over it. He looked over his shoulder and into the flames behind him.

"Now, you kids stay put." Love wagged a finger at a furious Szayel and a horrified Karin and Yuzu. "This'll be over with real soon."

At this, Kenshin opened his eyes, revealing that they were now a deep, and piercing blood red with black sclera. A black aura surged upward from his body, creating a cold wind that blew his hair wildly about. With a sharp twist of his left hand, the blade raked itself across the length of its sheathe, burning blood red lines across the now ruined sheathe as it went. When the sheathe was completely bifurcated and burned, its graying ashes clinging to Kenshin's skin, only then, only then did he utter the release phrase. It came as a soft, silent whisper:

_"Slaughter. El Corte."_

_**ZZZZ**_

Ichigo whirled about, choking on his own blood, a look of complete and utter disbelief in his eyes when his mask evaporated, as did every drop of spiritual pressure and reaitsu, leaving his bankai to disperse seconds later. Shunsui stared on, clutching at the hole Ichigo had drove into his chest with his remaining hand. This was not how the fighting had stopped. No, a golden serrated edge protruded from Ichigo's jest, its zig-zag edge a clear give away, despite the apparent lack of an owner. The numbness began to spread at once, leaving Zangetsu to slip out of hand.

"Well well," A familair voice tittered as Ichigo's zanpaktou clattered to the ground, "It seems I've stumbled upon quite the rare specimen. It's a shame about your condition, really it is but-

"Mayuri." Ichigo spat between clenched teeth, eyes blazing as the mad scientist swaggered into view on his right. His grin was unnerving as ever, as was the hideous white makeup that covered his entire face. Topped off with an ecentric blue wig, and a thick white parka over the haori, and you had one Mayuri Kurotsuchi. Ichigo found the words slipping from his lips as he struggled to come about and face the derranged psychopath.

"You sick son of a bitch, when I get my hands on you-

"Oho! I think not!" Ichigo gagged as Ashisogi Jizo was violently extracted from his gut, the lack thereof leaving him to collapse face first into a soft blanket of snow. "The only one laying hands on anyone will be me, you see! And I do believe you are in no position to negotiate!"

"That's enough, Kurotsuchi." Shunsui suprised Ichigo, he surprised Mayuri, just by speaking up. "He's half dead, can't you see that? Just...Just leave him be in his final moments before you begin. We owe him that much."

"Fuck...you... Ichigo groaned quietly as Shunsui disappeared into the cold, refusing to wince when something sharp stabbed into his neck. But it was only for a moment, then someone or something, violently shoved Mayuri's cold, clammy hands away from Ichigo's neck.

"Imbecile!" Mayuri shrieked, his voice followed by a vicious popping sound. "What on earth do you think you are doing, you worthless whore?"

"Mayuri-sama...I disagree with this." A female voice stated blandly. "Your methods are...incorrect."

"I don't care whether you agree or disagree you stupid slu-MMPH!"

Ichigo found it difficult to see anything in the blinding white snowstorm, but he was aware of, and greatly enjoyed, Mayuri's squeal of surprise as his voice abruptly became muffled, the reason for this being, that his head was now burried in a mound of snow. He didn't have the time to savor it, however, as the next thing he knew, a strong pair of arms had hoisted him up.

"Kurosaki Ichigo?" The toneless, female voice inquired somewhere near his ear. Whoever it was, they smelled like anesthetic and ointment. It was a fresh, sterilized sort of smell, one that was neither pleasant, or unpleasant. At length the voice spoke again. "Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"Hmm?" The blanket of white snow obscurred Ichigo's vision, but who was that talking just now?

"Whuzzat?"

"I am about to administer one of Mayuri-sama's regenerative syrums. Please, hold still."

Something sharp, a needle, perhaps? Rammed into the base of Ichigo's spine. At once, the numbing paralysis in his bones faded. Instead, of a calming numbness, Ichigo was left in a searing red haze of agonizing pain and agony. Any attempts to scream came out as a bloody gurgle.

A delicate hand depressed the syringe, and, with a vicious roar, all of Ichigo's lost power came burning back through his veins, leaving the vizard in a red haze, inexplicably back on his feet, and screaming countless obscenities into the blinding snowstorm. His wounds were entirely healed, but for the surging rigors in his muscles, Kurosaki Ichigo was entirely healed, if a little light headed.

At length, the voice spoke again:

"My name is Kurotsuchi Nemu."

"Whoa!" Ichigo swerved to the right, where he found a rather... oddly dressed, yet very attractive, shinigami staring up at him. How on earth someone could wear a skirt in this kind of weather was beyond him, but her green eyes held his gaze and banished such thoughts.

_'Wow.'_

For a moment, Kurosaki Ichigo could only stare.

He nearly forgot she was speaking.

-I would very much like to speak with you on certain matters regarding the Soul Society, and my allegiance to them."

"Wait, wait, wait." Blinking a dozen or so times, and after shaking his head, the self proclaimed ruler of the arrancar began to remember what he was and what exactly he had come here to do in the first place. With a scowl, Zangetsu came to rest beneath her chin. "Who are you and what do you want again? And why on earth did you heal me?"

The girl blinked, slowly, and for a moment, Ichigo nearly lost himself again. Only with great effort was the vizard able to pull himself back from the brink of being lost forever in her emerald green eyes. The thought of being so easily frustrated chafed against both his pride and his duty.

_'Focus, damnit!'_

With renewed vigor and control, Ichigo lowered his blade.

"I said who the hell are you and what do you want. Answer me now, before your head comes off."

Nemu didn't blink this time. As a result, Ichigo found himself completely unprepared.

"I wish to ally myself with you." Slowly, she turned her gaze skyward, where the sounds of unseen battle could still be heard. "The reason for this aside, I wish to inform you that your current base of Las Noches, is under attack by shinigami forces."

Ichigo gaped.

"What. The. Fuck?"


	30. Death of Lust III

**BEHOLD IT IS HERE! Please enjoy and review, I put everything I had into this chapter, not to mention a sleepless night after working all day! That being said, please enjoy review, and feel free to pester me for answers to the questions this chapter will undoubtedly leave you dying to know. No pun intended there XD Oh, and I sincerely apologize if my translations are sloppy, feel free to give me any pointers =D**

**Enjoy!**

**Death of Lust III**

The throbbing began to ebb away slowly, the harsh pain fading with the darkness.

Tatsuki Arisawa opened her eyes to see a dimly lit patch of stalactites, each of the dripstones jabbing down from the ceiling above her. She sat up with a panicked start, only to fall back down to the hard ground with a dull thud. Her head whirled as an immense pain rocketed through her mind, practically pinning her to the ground.

_What happened? _she thought as her brain thumped painfully against the inside of her skull. _Where the hell am I?_

She sat back up, much slower this time. Her head still ached ferociously, but she was able to maintain her upright position. She looked back and forth, noting the rock walls on either side of her. She squinted against a spot of harsher light, her mind immediately recognizing it as the mouth of the cave. Bright flashes of red and black greeted her when she attempted to shake her head, advising her not to do so again.

_So, _she thought with a small wince, _I'm in a cave. How in the hell did I get here?_

Frantic, she reached to the small tether that kept Kyouka Suigetsu bound to her hip. No sooner had her hand sought it, than an intense surge of relief rushed up her arm and into her chest, igniting a small flash of warmth inside her bosom. She actually had to blink away relieved tears.

_I am here, little one._ The illusive zanpakuto replied smoothly, her voice filled with calm, cooling concern.

Sitting up, Tatsuki placed one hand against the bed to steady herself, and was greeted with a surge of nausea. A dull punch of sonido alerted her to a pair of arrancar now stepping through the remains of the ruined door. Idly, she recognized them, the twin sisters who were part of Ichigo's elite unit, Los Diablos. They surveyed the room with a quick glance, and upon noticing Tatsuki, immediately took her by the arm.

"Wha-hey!"

"Lady Tatsuki," Ying began, "This base is under attack. "

"As per Ichigo-sama's orders, we are to escort you to the safe house. "Yang, her twin finished. "Your protestations will not be tolerated."

Tatsuki eyed the twin girls warily for a moment longer,then sighed.

"Alright, alright. I'm coming."

_**zzzz**_

"Bankai." Gin declared calmly, holding his zanpakuto before his face, smiling at the sharp hiss of fear his opponent gave. That sound was soon snatched up by the violent gales that continued to whip about them, and when Ichimaru decided he'd let his prey linger long enough, he made a deceptively slow sweeping arc with Shinsou. It was anything but a rapid motion. His target, another soul reaper whose name he'd not even bothered to remember before his defection, had only a moment to bat an eyelash, then her upper torso slid cleanly away from her hips.

And she fell.

Her three companions had even less time to react, as they too, plummeted to their demise. In the distance, five more toppled from their perch, the black specks confirming the casualties as more lower class fifth and six seated shinigami. Gin didn't bother to nod his thanks to Shaolin as she sped past him in a blur of white and grey, though the vicious wind she brought with her caused the fox faced ex-taichou to shiver slightly.

"Mah," Ichimaru pouted as he sheathed his sword and folded his hands sulkily, "Picking off weaklings like this isn't any fun." With an exagerated sigh, his gaze slid to the left, where the main battle was taking place. "Ta think that my bankai's bein' wasted on guys like this...

As such, he paid no heed to the pair of shadows that suddenly swept up behind him. Without so much as a sigh, their sealed zanpakuto descended in perfect unison cleaving through flesh and bone like a hot knife would through butter. Their target didn't so much as flinch.

The long blade shot forward over Shuuhei's shoulder and _into _Hinamori's stomach, just as her _Tobiume _impaled Ichimaru. Baffled, the two captains looked on in shock. Moments later, Gin's thin coat was swept away in the breeze, leaving Kazeshini to slice harmlessly through open air.

Momo's eyes widened as blood began to spill from her soft lips. Hisagi was so shocked he couldn't bring himself to move. He could only stare as the elongated zanpakuto retracted itself from the flesh of his friend, leaving her to fall to the ground in a helpless and bloody heap.

His mouth worked silently, unable to form the words.

_'When did he move?'_

"Well now," the oily voice of Ichimaru Gin called out from over his shoulder. "We can't have you all ganging up on me now, can we?"

Hisagi, quivering with rage, violently whipped around and thrust his blade forward.

_"Kazeshini." _

Immediately after his zanpakuto transformed into the pair of scythes he detested so much, he threw the one in his right hand at Ichimaru's feet . The sharp blade sliced seamlessly through empty air as Hisagi yanked the chain that it was connected to, calling it back. As the first blade was reclaimed by his right hand, he slung the scythe in his left hand forward...

"Rhaaagh!" Hisagi didn't think, he just _moved_, slashing at the ground with such force that the soil itself split from both the blow, flinging huge chunks of frozen ice and stone into the air. Kazeshini was thrown not a heartbeat later, darting through the debris as if it the blade itself where alive, shooting unnerringly towards its target. Gin frowned, darting to the left just as the sickle like blade would have removed his head.

No sooner had Gin appeared above the debris, then an unmistakeable surge of spiritual pressure greeted him from behind. Coming about to face this already expected threat, Ichimaru's eyes shot wide open, just as Hisagi finished a very lengthy, and eerily familair incantation.

**"Hado #90 Kurohitsugi." **Hisagi's expression betrayed nothing as the black sarcophogus closed around Ichimaru. He forced himself to watch, to not flinch, as Ichimaru's now smiling was abruptly lost from sight. Seconds later, the spears extended from the four corners, sealing the fate of the former third squad captain. Hisagi forced himself to stare straight ahead as the reaitsu swept away all traces of life from within the prison.

There.

It was done-

"Is that all?"

With an earsplitting crack, the black coffin shattered into a thousand shards, forcing the captain to backpedal. There, standing, entirely unharmed, Ichimaru chuckled to himself, raising his gaze to mee that of a horrified Hisagi. For a moment, the shinigami was helplessly thunderstruck. Bone. All he could see was bone, and Ichimaru wasn't even harmed! But as the flames faded, Hisagi understood his realization was far, far worse.

"_Kurohitsugi, huh?"_ Gin's voice burbled from behind the mask. "That was pretty nasty of ya, Hisagi. You could have killed me if I didn't have this," Shaking his head, Gin swept the horrific shield away from his face, revealing his normal visage, instead of that of the serpent mask.

"You didn't."

"Oh, you're right." Impossibly, Gin's smile grew ever wider as he tipped his blade forward, as though her were saluting Hisagi. _"I _didn't do a darn thing. Ya can thank Kurosaki for givin' me this little upgrade." At a loss for words, Hisagi stared for a moment, his hands trembling with rage.

"Bankai!" He roared, a pillar of black fire spreading out from his body and forcing Ichimaruto skip backwards as lances of dark light shot toward his position,

Hisagi noticed the twinge of suprise and smirked. Though Kazeshini still possesed both of its deadly reaping blades, the chains that had once bound them, now circled around Hisagi's arms and legs, trailing down his back in an intricate tapestry of black flame, all of which lead to a humanoid flaming creature looming up behind the captain of squad nine. Its face, if such a grim visage could be considered as such, was pure bone, hidden within the cowl of a dark cloak, exposing only two, skeletal arms, each of which brandished a scythe of its own.

**"Mugen Akuma Kusari, Kazeshini (Infinite Demon Chain, Death Wind)"**

Gin frowned, and raised his guard.

"Time do die, Ichimaru!"

As one, both master and blade shot forward.

Gin tsked and slapped one palm upon the ground.

"Bakudo twenty one."

Forgoing the spell's name altogether, a red cloud of smoke exploded into existence, effectively blinding Hisagi and his weapon. Such had been the intention of course, as a hail of _kido _blasts shot out of the smokescreen and slammed into thhe ground at Hisagi's feet, further kicking up the dust.

To his credit, Hisagi didn't take the bait. Calling the chains back to him, the captain immediately threw the left blade, followed shortly thereafter by the right, allowing their momentum to drag his body away from the sweeping overhead swing that passed through the air moments later.

Gin stared absentmindedly at the drop of blood on his blade as it retracted, chiding himself for such a near miss. Now, his smokescreen was swiftly blown away by the gale force winds Hisagi had begun to generate, and the fox faced ex-taichou had to come up with a new plan of tackling the situation. Kazeshini always was such a troublesome zanpakuto, just like his master. Now that he'd achieved bankai, Hisagi had also created the ultimate defense and offense. If Hisagi kept spinning, then there was absolutely no way Kamishini no Yari would be able to penetrate the chains.

"Behind you." A rasping voice mumbled from Gin's shoulder, just as the hand curled about his wrist.

Ichimaru found himself rapidly proppelled backward, launching his body into the nearest drift, then the nearest ledge as the sapling crumbled under the weight of the barrage. Hisagi didn't wait to see whether his attack had been effective or not, but he'd seen Ichimaru drop his guard, and that was all the opportunity he needed. Calling the spectre back to himself, he willed it to heave both blades toward their target.

"Now!" Hisagi whipped his head around as he dove from cover to cover once again, both blades of his bankai leaving his hands to shoot towards Ichimaru's location. But Gin had already passed them both and launched himself at the taichou, the former now thrusting his wazikashi forward.

_"Buto."_

The _wakizashi _stretched dramatically, the blade that was but two feet long a moment ago lengthening itself to stab at Hisagi from across the frozen tundra. The spear-like zanpakuto shot forth at lightning-quick speed, the young captain barely managing to dodge the attack. Shuuhei leapt to the right and rolled behind the cover of some debris as the long blade retracted back towards its spiraled hilt.

Ichimaru Gin's smile only broadened as yet another of Soul Society's almighty captains' hid like the child he was.

"Oh my," he called out into the empty air. "The great Hisagi Shuuhei is usually far braver than this. I wonder what he could be…" Without any precept of warning, _Hinamori _appeared behind him in a flash of _shunpo, _causing Gin to whirl around and block. His smile widened as he looked down into the young woman's rage filled eyes and the tattered hole in her shihakusho that had once been a gaping wound seconds before.

"…Plannin' to do?"

Ichimaru soon received his answer, as the vicious blades of Hisagi's bankai abruptly tore into his right shoulder and clamped down into the fragile bone beneath. Like an overipe grape the skin burst, splattering the snow red with blood. Sagging, Gin slammed the hilt of his zanpakuto back into Hisagi's triumphant face, then thrust his blade forward, causing Momo to leap backwards, rebound of the wall, and launch herself forward.

Hisagi received no such chance.

Stunned as he was, and with both blades still earnestly clamped down into Ichimaru's solar plexus, the young captain could only gasp as Shinsou emerged out his back, covered in life blood and gore. His visage tightened under the strain it took to form what would likely be his last words.

"Damn...it."

"HISAGI!" Momo screamed as his bankai dissipated, while she darted across the field, hoping, praying that she would make it in time. If she could just reach him, then maybe, maybe there would be enough time to close the wound. If she could only draw Ichimaru away from him-

"Aw, are you done already?" With thinly veiled scorn, Ichimaru removed his blade from Hisagi's left lung, smiling pleasantly as a drop of blood spattered his right cheek and the captain collapsed into a quivering heap. "Too bad then, Hisagi-kun. I'll see you around."

He raised his blade.

"Ichimaru. Step away from Hisagi _and face me."_

"Hmm?" Gin glanced over his shoulder, uncaring as Hinamori rushed past him and slid to Hisagi's side. Turning toward the voice, a small, bitter smile curled at his lips once he recognized the man stalking toward him through the blizzard. His haori was that of the third division's.

"Long time no see, Izuru."

The young captain lifted his zanpakuto high into the air, tightly gripping the long handle with one fisy as the green light curled about his body and into his shoulders. His once apathetic gaze blazed with hate as he stared down the man who had once been his idol, his everything.

"Ichimaru, I will give you one chance, and one chance only, to surrender."

"Oho?" Gin tilted his head and spread his arms, perplexed. "Now why would ya want to do that?"

"For Rangiku-san's sake."

"Ah." Ice blue eyes narrowed in understanding behind the veil of his hand. "See, that's gonna be a bit of a _problem_. My boss wants you and yer fiance dead. So I can't be surrenderin' all willy nilly and all, y'see."

"Is that your final answer?" Izuru asked coldly.

"Yup." Gin replied quietly, the smile leaving his face as he readied his blade. "Y'know, it's been quite awhile since I sparred with you, Izuru. So tell me, did you defeat that arrancar just to get over here and see lil' ol' me?" Kira's only response was to unsheathe Wabisuke, revealing its edge to be stained with fresh, dripping wet, blood. Like his former captain, Kira assumed the ready stance, as they began what would be their final fight.

Gin arched an eyebrow at the sight of the blood.

"Hoo boy, Kurosaki ain't gonna be happy with you."

"I do not care about Kurosaki Ichigo. I have come here to kill you, Ichimaru Gin. Not for the sake of the Gotei Thirteen, Captain Yamamoto, or even that of Rangiku-san. This is something, the first thing, that I am going to do for myself." With a swift flash of light, Kira Izuru unveiled his shikai, Wabisuke's square hook sweeping through the air in a smooth, drawn out fashion that left little to the imagination.

"Now, traitor, draw your weapon and face your end."

_**zzz**_

Kinshara swung forward as it once more released the gold-tinged crescent blast. Ishida had only just fallen out of the way when the attack reached its target. He brought up his blade to block, but the _Kinshara _proved far too powerful; his opponent had been too close when the attack was released and the momentum was pushing against him greatly. Ishida swung his Seele Schneider with gusto, splitting the transparent blast in two. The force of the shinigami's attack still took its toll on him, however— the Quincy was physically unharmed, but the force of the blow had sent him backwards through the hole in the wall and out into the night sky.

"Licht Regen."

The sound of a _hirenkakyu _above Rose caused his head to snap up. Ishida Uryuu had appeared a few feet above Rose, flying backwards to keep pace with him, the string on his bow taut and ready to launch a thousand arrows. A cold scowl pulled at his face when he spoke.

"Too bad, shinigami. Mala suerte, as they say to you."

For the first time in the fight, the vizard's face lost its pleasant smile. As the hail of heavenly light descended upon him, he could only raise an arm in a pitiful attempt to ward off the blow, even as his body was burried beneath the debris as the pillar caved. However, verbal taunt stung worse than any arrow, evident by the way a hollowfied Rose exploded out of the rubble, his hollow mask diluting his voice as he spoke, the words snapping mere inches from the scowling visage of the the last quincy.

"Was that all?"

**_"Damn you."_**

Uryuu nearly lost his head the moment he'd cleared the opening. As it was, the whip slapped him with such force that he thought he'd broken his back when his body careened into the ground. But no, he didn't have any broken bones, just punctured pride at being slammed down to the pavement in such a humiliating matter. He'd had no idea that the former captain commanded such raw power.

"Ow." He muttered, dusting himself off. "I...felt that one."

Rose burst out of the building after him, leaving little more than a charred ruin in his wake.

_"Bankai."_

Ishida could only blink as he beheld the change. It, the creature, was barechested, but now a _hollow hole_ could be seen, dead center in its chest where his heart was meant to be. He gave a low growl as he seemed to notice something was amiss here. He brandished the golden scythe menacingly, while his mask stared dispassionately outward. With a curse, Ishida readied his bow, raising it before him as a shield.

**_"..."_**

Rose extended a hand, and Kinshara flew back him, shearing up the street as it went, leaving a large furrow in its wake. With an audible pop, it landed back in his palm, creating concussion force that shattered a nearby pillar into a thousands fragments. Jamming the sparking whip into the crumbling wall, what was left of the debris dissolved. He huffed once, apparently satisfied, then turned its attention to the Quincy. Uryuu blinked in surprise as Rose shunpoed towards him, stopping only with less than a foot to separate them.

_"You've fought well, Quincy. Knowing that, I truly don't want to kill you."_

"You're asking me to surrender then."

Rose's invisible grin faded as Uryuu readed another arrow menacingly, frozen eyes speaking volumes of the malice residing within his anguished soul. Still Rose loomed over him, this being that radiated power, power that now hissed and spit at the air around them. This would be ugly."

"Sorry." Ishida finally found his voice. "But I respectfully choose decline your generous offer, shinigami." The moment lost, Rose clenched a hand into a fist and sighed, his shoulders slumping slightly as his bankai drooped with him. He shook himself then tossing his mane of blond hair wildly, spiritual pressure deafening to all those present. It was all Ishida could do to remain on his feet, and even then, the effort nearly consumed him.

_"Then die."_

With a punch of sonido, Rose dissapeared, then reapeared, ramming its hand into Ishida's back. Startled, the Quincy whipped a Seele Schneider about, only for the improvised arrow blade to pass harmlessly through empty air. Rose was in front of him then, carving a deep and bloody gouge into the Quincy's chest, then darting away when Uryuu desperately fired an arrow in retaliation. His head spun as the scythe swept past him.

All of this occured in an eyeblink.

"Well," Ishida managed quietly. "I see you penchant for slaughter hasn't changed any, shinigami."

Rose's face remained unseen behind the grinning mask he'd always maintained, even though the Quincy's insult rang true. Quietly, he glanced down at his left hand before he raised it up to his blade and ran his thin index finger along the sharp edge. A thin line of blood began to leak out from the small wound as he lifted his arm up and pointed his outstretched finger at his former master. The blood trickled slowly from his fingertip, small crimson droplets releasing themselves from his veins and splashing upon the wooden floor.

Despite his injuries, the vizard's reiatsu began to rise as one final drop of blood fell from his flesh. The sphere of blood froze in its drop before it began to swirl around in the air, the red droplet becoming a hoop as more and more of the shinigami's energy was forced upon it. Soon the ring of energy turned a crimson color as it lost its circular purity, jagged bars of energy jutting out from the deadly ball of power.

"_Gran Rey Cero."_

The massive blast shot forth at Ishida, completely obliterating the back wall of the room as the violet red _cero _of the vizard ripped through the night air of Las Noches. Ishida stood stone still, his shirt ripped open from Rose's previous attacks, his scarred chest pumping as he attempted to regain his breath. Alas, as the wind began to blow through the opened wall and the dust from the explosion cleared, he saw the still silhouette.

A smirking Shinji Hirako was waiting for him.

"Hola, Quincy."

The former human stood in front of the massive hole that the Rose's attack had created. His right hand was blistered and bleeding from the _cero _blast, his eyes widening in anger as he glanced at his wounded appendage. His normally bemused gaze was cast upon the shinigami before him.

"_Gran Rey Cero," _Ishida said as he slowly flexed his injured hand, his thin fingers curling into a fist. "You'll be employing hollow techniques to destroy me, then?" Hirako's response was to sigh, and lazily twirl his sealed zanpaktou before his face, and abruptly tip it toward the floor.

"You'd rather I best ya with my own blade?"

"Preferabbly so."

"Alright then." Shinji shrugged, tugging on his cap with a free hand as he did so. "I'll finish things up here Rose. You go and track down Hiyori and the other's, cuz I think they're having a bit of trouble down there with the troops." Rose looked as if he were about to say something, but sighed.

"Very well then."

And then he was gone, leaving Ishida alone with his executioner. Weakly, the Quincy raised his bow, bloodstained fingers curling, tightening, about the string as he drew one last arrow. With nary a sound, Shinji's zanpakuto escaped its sheathe, exposing its naked edge to the arid air.

**_"Collapse, Sakanade."_**

**_zzz_**

Kurosaki Ichigo felt all these and more, the sudden appearance of dissapearance's of countless reaitsu. People, friends, enemies, all were being slaughtered in battle, bot here and faraway in the other realm of Las Noches. Returning to the present, he winced as he abruptly felt Kaname's reaitsu vanish, followed shortly thereafter by several other's. What troubled him the most, however, was the fact that he also felt a horribly familair reaitsu coming from Las Noches, even though it was another world away. He respected this prescence, and hated it, all the same time.

_"Kenpachi."_ He spit, knowing full well that the hulking captain of squad eleven would be waiting for him upon his return.

Skirting past another hapless shinigami soldier, the vizard did not even bother to draw his sword, for Nemu simply seized the hapless man by the head and snapped his neck with a swift twist of he wrist, before shooting after him. Exploding into the air, Ichigo at once felt Gin's reaitsu blaze wildly, suggesting the his partner was also fighting for his very life down on the frigid shores. But he hadn't the time to help him. Ordinarily, when the enemy general retreated during the heat of battle, it had a rather demoralizing effect on the troops. Ichigo could not afford such a luxury.

Calling a retreat was unacceptable. But as he felt more and more of his allies fall, his resolve began to waver. Ulquiorra and Starrk were the only remaining arrancar who appeared to be holding their own against the captains'. He had felt Neliel fall, and Grimmjow wasn't too far away from that fate either. If he could get them back to Inoue, they would be alright, but

"Kurosaki." Nemu spoke from her place at his side. "I would suggest that you pull your forces back. This is a loosing battle, and there are still traces of Mayuri-sama's poison in your system. If you continue to fight this war here, you will almost certainly suffer defeat."

Choking on the bitterness and loathing that threathened to swallow him up, Ichigo inhaled sharply, and balled his fists together. He was so close, so very close! To be denied his prize, to be stymied just as he was about to reach his goal! But as his soldiers dropped one by one he felt it.

They were going to lose. Yamamoto had yet to step onto the battlefield, but once he did, there would be few who could hope to oppose him, something his ragged army was currently incapable of now. Knowing that Nemu spoke truth, Ichigo swallowed his pride, drew Zangetsu, forced as much reaitsu into the command as he could, and shouted one word.

_**"Retreat!"**_


	31. Deadly Tag I

_**Deadly Tag I**_

_**"RETREAT!"**_

Kurosaki's command echoed aross the battlefield, heard and understood by all but one.

_"Kurohitsugi!"_

Grimmjow held his ground, refusing to move a muscle, even as his form was basked in the pallid glow of the high level kido spell. As the blades pierced his flesh, he staggered a step forward, and seized the hilt of his weapon. Finally, just as it was about to consume him, he started his counter. He drew in a breath now, let the oxygen expand and rush up to his lungs, buoyed by the intense spiritual energy...

_'Not like this...FUCK NO!'_

"You think this is enough to kill me...shinigami!"

He made a horrific noise just then His mouth still open wide, the back of his throat cinched tightly closed. A breath, forcing its way out, with a long and shuddering hiss. It was a eerie mix of nails raking across a chalk board, and the death rattle of a dying animal. Whatever this power was, it was powerful, shattering the coffin like glass.

_"Grind." _Grimmjow's voice, ragged and roughened, snaked through the smoke. There was a loud crunch, as a twister of light engulfed the tattered remains of his body for a moment, and was gone the next. His wounds left with the reiryoku, and he exhaled angrily as he shrugged them off.

_"Pantera."_

Silvery elbow blades had now taken residence upon his elbows, the full length of his arms, yet ended just before the shoulders, gleamed in the bright light of azure reaitsu. Bluish green eyes narrowed against black sclera, revealing the jagged markings that ran from the corners of his eyes, down to the square of his jaw, the mouth now parting to expose sharp fangs, perhaps slightly longer than before. His clawed feet dug into the ground, claws clenching and unclenching as he felt the gravel between his fingertips, tasted the scent of blood, his own and the shinigami's.

His reaitsu was everywhere, blanketing the air, the sky, and the snow. It was everywhere and everything, as the pillar of black and blue reiatsu roared into the sky, piercing the thick veil of clouds. He scowled at the look of open surprise that adorned the pallid face of his opponent.

"Y'know, shinigami, I'm pretty pissed right now. I went and made a bet with Ulquiorra that I wouldn't even have to release my resurreccion in this fight, let alone to defeat you. And now look what you went and made me do. Because of _you_, I've gotta put up with his shit for the next _century!"_

Tail thrashing behind him, Grimmjow drew back slightly, as if he were a spring, and coiling his body, to prepare himself for a mighty leap. Frowning, Ukitake prepared to peform the black coffin once more, to which the arrancar smirked. He hardly even noticed the javelins that scraped off his skin.

A wall of sound slammed into the coffin, rebounding the black from whence it came. Eye going wide, Ukitake narrowly escaped incineration at the hands of the wide blast, rolling away just in time. Yet he did not escape without loss, suffering some burns on his right arm, and losing his sleeve.

Another scream came his way, and that was just a precursor to the flame that ripped into his back. Scowling, he swung _Sogyo no Kotowari _around, but a blur of black had already caught it. It performed the same action with its right arm, when Jushirou brought around his remaining hand. Not willing to give the shinigami another chance to use his vast repirtoire of kido spells, Grimmjow spoke:

"You think you got power, shinigami? I'll show you, _my_ power...

The noise coiled into the air, coiling around his shuddering frame like snake. Ths hiss still lingered in the air like the echoes of a long awaited shout, still reverberating in his ears. His claws, dragged through the air, leaving trails of unmistakeably sparkling blue in their wake. The air darkened once again, creating mist as the ice beneath his feet melted beneath the intense heat of the espada's favorite technique.

_**"Desgarrón."**_

With nary a sound, the azure claws descended.

At once, Grimmjow received the blowback from his own attack, for Sogyo no Kotowari absorbed and reflected the first of his _Desgarrón _into his chest, cutting deep and fracturing bone. But as the first was absorbed, the _second _powered its way through the shinigami's guard, and struck home, opening a small hole in the ice beneath their feet. Cackling madly, Grimmjow continued to hack and slash at Ukitake, uncaring, for every blow that was reflected into him, two more their way through the ironclad defense of his enemy.

Grimmjow laughed softly, sealing Pantera away as Ukitake was lost from sigh in the avalanche.

"Now that's power, shinigami."

**_zzzz_**

"Urahara Kisuke." Ulquiorra spoke solemnly, spreading black wings wide as the rain of green spiritual pressure from his _resurreccion _subsided. "I would rather not kill you just yet, as you have proven yourself to be a worthy opponent. That being said, I will have to offer you my condolences."

"Oho," Urahara smiled genially from beneath his ruined hat. "And what makes you say that?"

"Because I have been ordered to completley and utterly destroy you."

Urahara slid to the right just as the espada's _katana_ would have decapitated him. He countered with his _katana, _the long blade shooting forward as he jabbed at his attacker. Ulquiorra slid backwards and suddenly found himself on the defensive. A javelin in each hand, he was swinging left and right, blocking with both hands as Urahara lunged forward aggressively. He was soon forced up against the wall of the iceberg his eyes widening in surprise as Kisuke reached up high with both arms and brought _Benihime _swinging down against his pinned body.

Before he could land the final blow, Ulquiorra's body released an opaque wall of _reiatsu _that blunted Benihime's edge and threw Urahara back along his skies darkened and Kisuke couldn't tell if this surge of power had cast the entire world into darkness or if it had momentarily blinded him. He was afraid it was the latter.

As his vision slowly returned, he was faced with a monster he could barely identify as Ulquiorra Schiffer.

"_Resurrección," _Ulquiorra said calmly, "_Segunda Etapa."_

Urahara leapt upwards with swish, narrowly avoiding what would have been Ulquiorra's finishing blow. He struggled to catch his breath, to remain calm. His chest heaved as he watched the espada rise slowly and confidently into the air. He drew breath into his lungs and straightened his back as much as he could. His cheery facade wavered for a moment before returning, his lips curving into a smile as he thrust his blade forward.

_"Sing, Benihime!"_

The black demon was no longer there. A long black appendage curled around Kisuke's neck and he slammed into the ground, the force of which created a small explosion as his body crashed through the charred remains of a derelict ship, trapped in the ice.

A vicious arc of crimson energy lashed out from within the fires, cutting Ulquiorra off. The espada quickly summoned a lance of lightning from his palm, the slender lance easily deflecting the attack as it shielded the espada behind it. He lifted it again, looked over his shoulder and into the flames behind him.

"Is that all you have, shinigami?"

With a gust of cold wind, the dark clouds that had been threatening them all morning suddenly broke and a torrent of frozen rain began to fall. The flames surrounding the fighters extinguished slowly as the smoke began to dissipate, revealing the faint red glow from Urahara Kisuke's _Chikasumi no Tate. _

"Hardly, espada-san." Reaching one hand to his scalp, the humble owner of Urahara Shouten, tossed the remains of his hat aside, looking quite melancholy as an artic gale swept his most cherished belonging away. "Though, if you hadn't held back just now, you might've have killed me._"_Any particular reason why you did that just now?"

"We are withdrawing." The espada stated simply, sealing _Murcielago _back into its katana and sheathing it with a flourish. "I would have expected you to have anticipated such an event. It has been a pleasure fighting you, shinigami."

And with a crack of Sonido, Ulquiorra was gone.

_**zzz**_

_The greatest thing one can do for another, is to simply be there. To love and to care, to hurt and to share. To love and despair._

Starrk groaned, rolling onto his back, then rising to his feet with a superhuman effort. Every inch of his body was human charcoal now, yet somehow, somehow, he was still standing. Every breath was a steel knife in his windpipe, yet somehow, he still inhaled, still drew breath.

Even as his body seeped red from mortal wounds, even as his _resurreccion _peeled away from his body, Coyote Starrk refused to fall. His own end was coming again, and fate probably wouldn't be as lenient with him, this time around. _Still_, the lonely primera shuffled forward toward his enemy.

Yamamoto stared back at him impassively, Ryujjin Jakka slowly sliding back into its sheathe. His mindset was understandable, if a tad mocking in its mercifulness. In the mind of Yamamoto Shigekuni Genryusai, Starrk was beaten. There was little more the espada could hope to do but grip his katana and wait for death to take him. What point was there in finishing off a dead man? This was war, and war demanded only death, not mercy.

"Enough. You are beaten, arrancar."

"If you break my arms," Starrk mumbled something incoherently. "I'll protect them by kicking."

"Make no mistake." Yamamoto warned, as several dozen garaganta darkened the sky. "If you continue with this foolishness, I will not hesitate to strike you down. Tell me where Kurosaki Ichigo has gone, tell me why he has called this retreat, and you may yet live to see another day."

Starrk smiled brokenly as his body continued to drag itself forward.

"If you...take off...my legs..."

With a sudden click, Ryujjin Jakka came free of its scabbard. Less than an instant later, its edge halted Starrk's advance, with its lethal tip pressing against the espada's blade, which had weakly come up to defend against it. Starrk's frame trembled from the toll the effort took on his body.

"You are trying my patience."

"I...will...protect them."

"Enough of your blasphemy. You are a _hollow._ You have nothing but your own life to protect."

Starrk shuddered, but when he spoke, his voice was as strong as the steel which he gripped so firmly in hand. He refused to bend under the immense pressure that was being thrust upon him, he refused to yield, as the flames licked across the blade and into his screaming flesh. He could feel something rushing toward him, but he paid it no heed. He was too far gone, to focused on the enemy before him, to notice anything.

_"I have friends, to protect."_

With an uncharecteristic growl, Coyote Starrk threw himself forward and into battle once again. His swings were wild and sloppy, and though none of them came even close to striking the mark, the head captain was forced back through the sheer number of blows. All the while, as he desperately blocked, parried, and struck back against counter's of his own, Starrk continued to speak, through sheer force of will.

"If you break my arms, I'll protect them by kicking...if you take off my legs, I'll protect them by biting...if you break my neck, I'll protect them by staring...if you kill me, I'll protect them by cursing." As he finished, the broken espada stabbed Yamamoto straight, dead center, in the chest.

_Always be there for someone you love. _

As the leader of the entire Gotei Thirteen slumped forward, Starrk wordlessly summoned a cero from his chest, preparing to obliterate his enemy before any attempt at retaliation could be made. His mind reeled, his vision swam to and fro, but still, Starrk poured the azure light forth into Yamamoto's body, and halted only when the last vestige of his reaitsu finally abandoned him, and he was left starring at a charred husk.

_Never let them out of your arms and most of all, give them everything they could ever need. _

"You can try anything...but you won't touch my friends."

And the corpse spoke.

_"Be silent, impudent pup."_

Just as quickly as his counter had begun, it was over. His zanpaktou snapped in half, leaving Starrk gripping a broken hilt and perhaps an inch or so of steel, its tip sailed end over end until it embedded itself in a nearby boulder. He stared at it wordlessly, dumbstruck, as blood flecked his lips.

Suddenly,Yamamoto was not there, and Starrk realized all too late that he had just stabbed an empty haori.

_'So then, this...is it.'_

_"STARRK!"_

Someone screamed, and with the last of his strength, Starrk glanced over his shoulder, and into the tear filled eyes of Lillenette Gingerback. Her right arm dangled uselessly at her side, and a good portion of her mask had been hacked away, exposing matted, bloody green hair, a frozen scalp, and a perfectly normal human eye. Her good hand gripped her zanpakutou as she appeared less than a foot away, her sonido faltering as the last of her reaitsu abandoned her and she collapsed to her knees. She wouldn't reach him in time. So close, and yet, so very far away.

_You never know when it may be the last time._

"Lillenette, I—" Starrk began when Yamamoto's zanpakuto plunged deep into his chest, pinning him against the tall rock. Blood began to spill out of his parted lips as his grey eyes bulged in wordless anger. Yamamoto was already standing in front of him, his hand gripping the hilt of _Ryujjin Jakka _and forcing it deeper through _hierro _and flesh.

"I commend your efforts to disuade me, arrancar, and now, I send you to your end."

Yamamoto stared down at Starrk for a moment longer before he smashed his open fist into the Arrancar's face, immediately pulling his blade out as Starrk's torso slumped forward out of the boulder and collapsed into the snow the floor, soaking it red with his own lifeblood.

Lillenette gaped, a frozen tear escaping one eye.

_'No, oh god, no, no no no no no..._

So distraught was she, that she missed the black shadow settling over her.

"Run."

"?"

_"Getsuga."_ A swirl of shadow popped into existence a mere centimeter from Yamamoto's face, blade raised high. The golden, crystalized eyes of a hollowfied Kurosaki Ichigo blazed into the narrowed stone grey of Yamamoto for but a moment, and then, the black vortex descended. _"Tenshou."_

_"Danku."_

Yamamoto intoned swiftly, the transparent barrier snapping into place, warding away Kurosaki's ultimate technique at the last moment, tossing it harmlessly into a nearby mountain_. _But Lillenette had used that moment to stagger to her feet, and now, a massive lime green cero roared toward the Sou-taichou. Genryusai batted it away with an empty palm, turning his blade response to a dull thud of Sonido from behind.

Ulquiorra tsked, eyes narrowing as Murcielago's edge received a small crack at its hilt. Then he was gone, spiraling upward and away from a massive torrent of boiling water, an event that should have been an outright impossibility under these frigid temperatures. The moment it touched the wall of fire, it dissipated into a wall of steam, producing a thick mist that provided cover for the next assailant. Steel flashed against bone, and was gone as Halibel slid to a halt some distance away, bearing a large gash in her stomach for her efforts. Unfazed, she leapt backward...

Seizing Starrk's mangled body and carrying it with her toward the garaganta overhead. At this, Lillenette gave a small cry and leapt after the Tercera espada, desperate to stay with Starrk, abandoning Ulquiorra as he shot past, shoving her after his comrade in an all too clear gesture.

"Flee."

He whispered, and was gone, crashing against Yamamoto with Ichigo once again, desperate bid to secure more time as the bulk of their forces withdrew to the garaganta. It was a sad sight to watch, as wounded, half dead, _Espada _and _Diablos _struggled to buy the safety of their comrades with their own lives. Even as the three spun and slashed at one another, Ulquiorra staggered back, for someone had used him as a springboard.

Ichigo must have noticed it as well, for he suddenly shunpoed to the right, and levered the horns of his mask toward Yamamoto. A bloody white blur was on the shinigami's right a second later, grinning wildly as it launched a doom blast all its own from the captain's unguarded flank.

_"Cero Oscuras!"_

Lillenette whipped her gaze downward, just in time to watch as a pillar of blue and black fire consumed Yamamoto from the right. An angry snarl confirmed the identity of its owner, as did his wild blue hair. Grimmjow Jaggerjack controlled the blast with his right hand, whilst he cradled the limp form of Neliel Tu Oderschvank under his left arm. The two cero swallowed the ground beneath Yamamoto in a fiery mushroom cloud.

Or at least, that was what he had done before Yamamoto appeared directly in front of him. Ulquiorra frowned, vanishing in a burst of static, only to toppled backward, missing his right leg at the knee and left arm at the elbow, the blood from the fresh wounds already beginning to freeze as the temperature dipped steadily lower. The wounds were already regeneratin, but it wouldn't be fast enough.

"Shit." Ichigo swore, wincing suddenly and collapsing to one knee while one hand went to his chest. "The poison...

"Enough of this tom foolery." Genryusai's voice and blade came down like an iron gavel as Ryujjin Jakka opened a deep furrow in Grimmjow's already scarred chest and came away soaked in blood. "I did not come here to play hide and seek with children. This ends now."

Hissing in surprise, the former sexta launched himself upward, all but tossing Nel's limp form into Lillenette as he shot past. The _primera _swore and snapped off a potshot at the head captain as he went by, but Yamamoto simply proved to agile a target, and was gone before she could get a fix on his position. Grimmjow, realizing he wasn't going to make it to the garaganta in time, came about suddenly, ready to defend himself.

"Bankai." A familair, oily voice, declared.

Lillenette blinked, eyes wide with disbelief as the blade shrank and returned from whence it had come. Entirely unscathed despite having fought three seperate battles with three different captains', Ichimaru Gin grinned as Yamamoto darted away from the ever deadly Kamishini no Yari.

A hail of Getsuga and cero warned Yamamot away again, and then Kurosaki Ichigo and Ulquiorra Schiffer had rejoined the fray. Lillenette was still trying to overcome her shock, as was Grimmjow, who just stared stupidly at Gin's back, whilst the ex-soul reaper hummed tunelessly to himself.

"I-Ichimaru?"

"Mah," Gin smiled gleefully, as Shinsou retracted to its original size. "I can't let Kurosaki-san have all the fun, now can I?." Whistling softly he sheathed his sword, placed both hands together, swiftly drew them apart moments later, revealing a thick rectangle of glowing light stemming between them. At once, what remained of Ichigo's army began to glow a faint green color as the forbidden spell enveloped them.

Ichigo smiled and nodded slowly.

**"Kūkanten'i(Spatial displacement)"**

And with a loud pop, every single shinigami and arrancar who served under Kurosaki Ichigo, vanished.

_**zzz**_

"No way in hell." Tastuki glared up at him. Despite the oppressive weight of his reaitsu, her smoldering turquiose eyes retained their indomitable fire. "I'm not letting you anywhere _near _Ichigo, you got that, dumbass!" The hulking shinigami chuckled darkly, twisted himself to glare right back at the defiant human and her two bodyguards.

If looks could kill...

"What, you got a problem with me fightin' Ichigo?" Zaraki Kenpachi snapped at her then, jerking his thumb to the lifeless corpse that lay a ways behind them. "If that's the case, then get yer zanpakuto out and we can go at it right here, right now. I could use the warm-up anyway."

"Sh-Sh-Shut u-up." Tatsuki muttered through chattering teeth, struggling to maintain her footing. Kenpachi chuckled, the weight of his reiatsu cutting into Tatsuki like a knife to her throat. Still, she managed to draw Kyouka Suigetsu and stay upright, so that had to count for _something._

"Hmph."

"I'm...still not moving." Tatsuki whispered after awhile. Zaraki arched an eyebrow, but shrugged and drew nonetheless. Immediately his blade was there, tipping her chin upward as she trembled slightly, shifted, throwing herself back in outright disblief. Zaraki scoffed at her cowardice.

"Eh?" He blinked in surprise, dissapointed as he walked after her, shaking his head when they vanished in a burst. "You gonna run, girl? Ah, damnit. They're gone again. Shit, I really hate playing tag with weaklings..."


End file.
